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

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   Learn the meaning of work as a noun and a verb in English, with different senses and usage. Find out how to use work in phrases, idioms, and grammar rules.

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

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › work

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word work as a verb, noun, and adjective. Find synonyms, example sentences, phrases, and related articles for work.

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

   www.dictionary.com › browse › work

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

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

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

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   Learn the meaning, pronunciation and usage of the verb work in English with pictures and example sentences. Find out how to work as a job, a task, a machine, a result, a material, a part of the body and more.

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

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › work

   The actual tasks you perform at your workplace — what you get paid for — are also called work. Your work might consist of answering the phone or baking bread or doing the accounting. Work can also be a verb describing doing some kind of activity, often one associated with your job.

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

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word work as a verb, noun, and adjective. Find synonyms, examples, and grammar tips for work in different contexts.

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

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

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   Learn the meaning of work as a verb and a noun, with different senses and usage. Find out how to use work in phrases, idioms and expressions, and see translations in other languages.