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   work

   /wəːk/

   noun

   • 1. activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result: "he was tired after a day's work" Similar labourtoilexertioneffortslogdrudgerythe sweat of one's browindustryserviceinformal:grindsweatdonkey workspadeworkelbow greasegraftfagyakkaarchaic:travailmoilOpposite leisurerest
   • ▪ mental or physical activity as a means of earning income; employment: "I'm still looking for work" Similar employmentjobday jobpostpositionsituationmeans of earning one's livingoccupationprofessioncareerbusinesstradelinevocationcallingarchaic:employ
   • ▪ the place where one is employed: "I was returning home from work on a packed subway"
   • ▪ the period of time one spends in paid employment: "he was going to the theatre after work"
   • ▪ a job: West Indian "I decided to get a work"
   • 2. a task or tasks to be undertaken: "they made sure the work was progressing smoothly" Similar tasksjobsdutiesassignmentscommissionsprojectschores
   • ▪ the materials for a task: "she frequently took work home with her"
   • ▪ activity involving construction or repair: British "extra costs caused by additional building works"
   • ▪ cosmetic plastic surgery: informal "between you and me, I think he's had some work done"
   • ▪ good or moral deeds: "the Clapham sect was concerned with works rather than with faith"
   • 3. a thing or things done or made; the result of an action: "her work hangs in all the main American collections" Similar handiworkdoingactdeedfeatperformance
   • ▪ a literary or musical composition or other piece of art: "a work of fiction" Similar compositionpiececreationachievementaccomplishmentwork of artopusoeuvre
   • ▪ the artistic production of a particular author, composer, or artist, regarded collectively: "the works of Schubert fill several feet of shelf space" Similar writingsoeuvrecanonoutput
   • ▪ a piece of embroidery, sewing, or knitting, typically made using a specified stitch or method.
   • 4. a place or premises in which industrial or manufacturing processes are carried out: British "he found a job in the locomotive works" Similar factoryplantmanufacturing complexmillfoundryyardindustrial unitbusiness unitworkshopshop
   • 5. the operative part of a clock or other machine: "she could almost hear the tick of its works" Similar mechanismmachineryworkingsworking partspartsmovementactioninformal:innardsinsides
   • 6. a defensive structure: "just north of the fort were trenches and the freshly reconstructed patriot siege works"
   • 7. the exertion of force overcoming resistance or producing molecular change.
   • 8. everything needed, desired, or expected: informal "the heavens put on a show: sheet lightning, hailstones, the works" Similar everythingthe full treatmentinformal:everything but the kitchen sinkthe lotthe whole shooting matchthe whole (kit and) caboodlethe whole shebangthe whole nine yardsthe full montythe whole ball of wax

   verb

   • 1. be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result; do work: "she has been working so hard" Similar toillabourexert oneselfslave (away)plod awaywork one's fingers to the bonework like a Trojan/dogwork day and nightkeep at itkeep one's nose to the grindstoneinformal:slog (away)beaver awayplug awaypeg awayput one's back into somethingwork one's guts outwork one's socks offknock oneself outsweat bloodkill oneselfgraftfagbullockvulgar slang:work one's balls/arse offwork one's ass/butt offarchaic:drudgetravailmoilOpposite restplay
   • ▪ be employed in a specified occupation or field: "he worked as a waiter in a rather shabby restaurant" Similar be employedhave a jobearn one's livinghold down a jobdo businessfollow/ply one's trade
   • ▪ set to or keep at work: "Jane is working you too hard"
   • ▪ practise one's occupation in or at (a particular place): "I worked a few clubs and so forth"
   • ▪ be engaged in (a particular occupation): West Indian "I worked fireman on ships"
   • 2. (of a machine or system) function, especially properly or effectively: "his phone doesn't work unless he goes to a high point" Similar functiongorunoperateperformbe in working orderinformal:behave
   • ▪ (with reference to a machine or machine part) be or cause to be in operation: "the device is designed to go into a special ‘rest’ state when it's not working" Similar operateusehandlecontrolmanipulatemanoeuvredriverundirectplywield
   • 3. (of a plan or method) have the desired result or effect: "the desperate ploy had worked" Similar succeedbe successfulwork outturn out wellgo as plannedhave the desired resultget resultsbe effectivetake effectbe efficaciousinformal:come offpay offdo the trickdo the businessturn the trickOpposite fail
   • ▪ produce as a result: "with a dash of blusher here and there, you can work miracles" Similar bring aboutaccomplishachieveproducedoperformcarry outimplementexecutecreateengendercontriveeffect
   • ▪ make efforts to achieve something; campaign: "they are dedicated to working for a better future for the generations to come"
   • ▪ arrange or contrive: informal "the chairman was prepared to work it for Phillip if he was interested"
   • ▪ use one's persuasive power to stir the emotions of: "the born politician's art of working a crowd" Similar stir (up)excitedrivemovespurrousefiregalvanizewhip upinflameinciteagitate
   • 4. bring (a material or mixture) to a desired shape or consistency by hammering, kneading, etc.: "work the mixture into a paste with your hands" Similar kneadsqueezeformshapefashionmouldmodelmixstirblend
   • ▪ produce artistic pieces using a particular material or medium: "he works in clay over a very strong frame"
   • ▪ produce (an article or design) using a specified material or sewing stitch: "the castle itself is worked in tent stitch"
   • ▪ cultivate (land) or extract materials from (a mine or quarry): "contracts and leases to work the mines" Similar cultivatefarmtillploughexploit
   • 5. move or cause to move gradually or with difficulty into another position: "comb hair from tip to root, working out the knots at the end" Similar manoeuvremanipulatenegotiateguideedgemanoeuvremakethreadwindweave
   • ▪ (of a person's features) move violently or convulsively: "hair wild, mouth working furiously" Similar twitchquivertwistmove spasmodicallyconvulse
   • ▪ make progress to windward, with repeated tacking: "trying to work to windward in light airs"
   • 6. bring into a specified emotional state: "Harold had worked himself into a minor rage" Similar stir (up)excitedrivemovespurrousefiregalvanizewhip upinflameinciteagitate

   Word Origin Old Englishweorc (noun), wyrcan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch werk and German Werk, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek ergon.

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • W

     4

   • O

     1

   • R

     1

   • K

     5

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   More definitions, origin and scrabble points

2. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › workWork Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › work

   • Cached

   : to perform or carry through a task requiring sustained effort or continuous repeated operations. worked all day over a hot stove. c. : to exert oneself physically or mentally especially in sustained effort for a purpose or under compulsion or necessity. 2. : to function or operate according to plan or design. hinges work better with oil. 3.

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishWORK | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   WORK definition: 1. an activity, such as a job, that a person uses physical or mental effort to do, usually for…. Learn more.

4. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › workWork - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › work

   noun. a product produced or accomplished through the effort or activity or agency of a person or thing. “it is not regarded as one of his more memorable works ”. “the symphony was hailed as an ingenious work ”. “he was indebted to the pioneering work of John Dewey”. “the work of an active imagination”.

5. www.dictionary.com › browse › workWORK Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › work

   • Cached

   Work definition: exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil. . See examples of WORK used in a sentence.

6. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishwork verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   Definition of work verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

7. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishWORK definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   work is the general word and may apply to exertion that is either easy or hard: fun work; heavy work. drudgery suggests continuous, dreary, and dispiriting work, esp. of a menial or servile kind: the drudgery of household tasks. labor particularly denotes hard manual work: labor on a farm, in a steel mill. toil suggests wearying or exhausting ...

8. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishWORK | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

   • Cached

   WORK definition: 1. to do a job, especially the job you do to earn money: 2. If a machine or piece of equipment…. Learn more.

9. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishwork noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   Definition of work noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

10. www.thefreedictionary.com › workWork - definition of work by The Free Dictionary

    www.thefreedictionary.com › work

    • Cached

    n. 1. a. Physical or mental effort or activity directed toward the production or accomplishment of something: Cleaning the basement was a lot of work. b. Such effort or activity by which one makes a living; employment: looking for work. c. A trade, profession, or other means of livelihood: His work is fixing cars. 2. a.

11. www.britannica.com › dictionary › workWork Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

    www.britannica.com › dictionary › work

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    I enjoy working with my hands. [=using my hands to do or make things] a sculptor who works in/with stone [=who makes things out of stone] [+] more examples. b [+ object] : to force (someone or something) to do something that involves physical or mental effort. The exercise is designed to work the muscles in your chest.