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work
1[wurk]
noun
exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.
productive or operative activity.
employment, as in some form of industry, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood.
to look for work.
one's place of employment.
Don't phone him at work.
something on which exertion or labor is expended; a task or undertaking.
The students finished their work in class.
materials, things, etc., on which one is working or is to work.
the result of exertion, labor, or activity; a deed or performance.
a product of exertion, labor, or activity.
musical works.
Often works. an engineering structure, as a building or bridge.
a building, wall, trench, or the like, constructed or made as a means of fortification.
works,
(used with a singular or plural verb), a place or establishment for manufacturing (often used in combination).
ironworks.
the working parts of a machine.
the works of a watch.
Theology., righteous deeds.
Physics., force times the distance through which it acts; specifically, the transference of energy equal to the product of the component of a force that acts in the direction of the motion of the point of application of the force and the distance through which the point of application moves.
Informal., the works,
everything; all related items or matters.
a hamburger with the works.
harsh or cruel treatment.
to give someone the works.
adjective
of, for, or concerning work.
work clothes.
verb (used without object)
to do work; labor.
to be employed, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood.
He hasn't worked for six weeks.
to be in operation, as a machine.
The water should not be disconnected while the pump is working.
to act or operate effectively.
We all agree that this plan works.
to attain a specified condition, as by repeated movement.
The nails worked loose.
to have an effect or influence, as on a person or on the mind or feelings of a person.
to move in agitation, as the features under strong emotion.
to make way with effort or under stress.
The ship works to windward.
Nautical., to give slightly at the joints, as a vessel under strain at sea.
Machinery., to move improperly, as from defective fitting of parts or from wear.
to undergo treatment by labor in a given way.
This dough works slowly.
to ferment, as a liquid.
verb (used with object)
to use or manage (an apparatus, contrivance, etc.).
It is easy to work the camera in this mobile device.
She can work many power tools.
to bring about (any result) by or as by work or effort.
to work a change.
to manipulate or treat by labor.
to work butter.
to put into effective operation.
to operate (a mine, farm, etc.) for productive purposes.
to work a coal mine.
to carry on operations in (a district or region).
to make, fashion, or execute by work.
to achieve or win by work or effort.
to work one's passage.
to keep (a person, a horse, etc.) at work.
She works her employees hard.
to cause a strong emotion in.
to work a crowd into a frenzy.
to influence or persuade, especially insidiously.
to work other people to one's will.
Informal., to exploit (someone or something) to one's advantage.
See if you can work your uncle for a new car. He worked his charm in landing a new job.
to make or decorate by needlework or embroidery.
She worked a needlepoint cushion.
to cause fermentation in.
verb phrase
work on / upon, to exercise influence on; persuade; affect.
I'll work on her, and maybe she'll change her mind.
work up
to move or stir the feelings; excite.
to prepare; elaborate.
Work up some plans.
to increase in efficiency or skill.
He worked up his typing speed to 70 words a minute.
work up to, rise to a higher position; advance.
He worked up to the presidency.
work out
to bring about by work, effort, or action.
to solve, as a problem.
to arrive at by or as by calculation.
to pay (a debt) by working instead of paying money.
to exhaust, as a mine.
to issue in a result.
to evolve; elaborate.
to amount to (a total or specified figure); add up (to).
The total works out to 176.
to prove effective or successful.
Their marriage just didn't work out.
to practice, exercise, or train, especially in order to become proficient in an athletic sport.
The boxers are working out at the gym tonight.
work over
to study or examine thoroughly.
For my term paper I worked over 30 volumes of Roman history.
Informal., to beat unsparingly, especially in order to obtain something or out of revenge.
They threatened to work him over until he talked.
work in / into
to bring or put in; add, merge, or blend.
The tailor worked in the patch skillfully. Work the cream into the hands until it is completely absorbed.
to arrange a time or employment for.
The dentist was very busy, but said she would be able to work me in late in the afternoon. They worked him into the new operation.
work off
to lose or dispose of, as by exercise or labor.
We decided to work off the effects of a heavy supper by walking for an hour.
to pay or fulfill by working.
He worked off his debt by doing odd jobs.
work through, to deal with successfully; come to terms with.
to work through one's feelings of guilt.
Work
2[wurk]
noun
Henry Clay, 1832–84, U.S. songwriter.
work
/ wɜːk /
noun
physical or mental effort directed towards doing or making something
paid employment at a job or a trade, occupation, or profession
a duty, task, or undertaking
something done, made, etc, as a result of effort or exertion
a work of art
materials or tasks on which to expend effort or exertion
another word for workmanship
the place, office, etc, where a person is employed
any piece of material that is undergoing a manufacturing operation or process; workpiece
decoration or ornamentation, esp of a specified kind
( in combination )
wirework
woolwork
an engineering structure such as a bridge, building, etc
Abbreviation: W. w. physics the transfer of energy expressed as the product of a force and the distance through which its point of application moves in the direction of the force
a structure, wall, etc, built or used as part of a fortification system
at one's job or place of employment
in action; operating
informal, to handle or dispose of very quickly
(modifier) of, relating to, or used for work
work clothes
a work permit
verb
(intr) to exert effort in order to do, make, or perform something
(intr) to be employed
(tr) to carry on operations, activity, etc, in (a place or area)
that salesman works the southern region
(tr) to cause to labour or toil
he works his men hard
to operate or cause to operate, esp properly or effectively
to work a lathe
that clock doesn't work
(tr) to till or cultivate (land)
to handle or manipulate or be handled or manipulated
to work dough
to shape, form, or process or be shaped, formed, or processed
to work copper
to reach or cause to reach a specific condition, esp gradually
the rope worked loose
(tr) to solve (a mathematical problem)
(intr) to move in agitation
his face worked with anger
to provoke or arouse
to work someone into a frenzy
(tr) to effect or accomplish
to work one's revenge
to make (one's way) with effort
he worked his way through the crowd
(tr) to make or decorate by hand in embroidery, tapestry, etc
she was working a sampler
(intr) (of a mechanism) to move in a loose or otherwise imperfect fashion
(intr) (of liquids) to ferment, as in brewing
informal, (tr) to manipulate or exploit to one's own advantage
slang, (tr) to cheat or swindle
work
The transfer of energy from one object to another, especially in order to make the second object move in a certain direction. Work is equal to the amount of force multiplied by the distance over which it is applied. If a force of 10 newtons, for example, is applied over a distance of 3 meters, the work is equal to 30 newtons per meter, or 30 joules. The unit for measuring work is the same as that for energy in any system of units, since work is simply a transfer of energy.
Other Word Forms
- worklessness noun
- workless adjective
- nonwork noun
- prework noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of work1
Word History and Origins
Origin of work1
Idioms and Phrases
shoot the works, to spend all one's resources.
Let's shoot the works and order the crêpes suzette.
out of work, unemployed; jobless.
Many people in the area were out of work.
make short work of, to finish or dispose of quickly.
We made short work of the chocolate layer cake.
at work,
working, as at one's job.
He's at work on a new novel.
in action or operation.
to see the machines at work.
work it,
to arrange something.
I'll try to work it so that we can all travel together.
to show off one’s body or clothing to best effect, often through movement or posing.
The models were working it on the runway.
Work it on the dance floor, baby!
gum up the works, to spoil something, as through blundering or stupidity.
The surprise party was all arranged, but her little brother gummed up the works and told her.
in the works, in preparation or being planned.
A musical version of the book is in the works.
More idioms and phrases containing work
- all in a day's work
- all work and no play
- at work
- busy work
- dirty work
- get down to (work)
- good works
- gum up (the works)
- have one's work cut out
- in the works
- make short work of
- many hands make light work
- out of work
- shoot the works
- the works
- turn (work) out all right
Example Sentences
Selections from Slash’s Halloween Horror Nights work, minus the new “Scarecrow” music, will again be available on a limited-run vinyl sold at Universal Studios during Halloween Horror Nights.
Without him, she would be entirely alone in a mining colony whose management is fine with working the population to death.
In some cases, it has resulted in sites being partially closed to the public and planned conservation work being postponed to prioritise repairs.
And, yet, here we are still trying to work out exactly what to expect from his Three Lions team.
Ballmer couldn’t explain why Leonard did no marketing or endorsement work for Aspiration, telling Shelburne that he never spoke with the player about his deal with the company.
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Related Words
When To Use
The noun work refers to the exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something. When should you use work instead of drudgery, labor, or toil? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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