Work (noun) Definition, Meaning & Examples

noun
  1. exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.
  2. productive or operative activity.
  3. employment, as in some form of industry, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood: to look for work.
  4. one's place of employment: Don't phone him at work.
  5. something on which exertion or labor is expended; a task or undertaking: The students finished their work in class.
  6. materials, things, etc., on which one is working or is to work.
  7. the result of exertion, labor, or activity; a deed or performance.
  8. a product of exertion, labor, or activity: musical works.
  9. an engineering structure, as a building or bridge.
  10. a building, wall, trench, or the like, constructed or made as a means of fortification.
  11. works,
    • a place or establishment for manufacturing (often used in combination): ironworks.
    • the working parts of a machine: the works of a watch.
    • righteous deeds.
  12. 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.
  13. the works, Informal.
    • everything; all related items or matters: a hamburger with the works.
    • harsh or cruel treatment: to give someone the works.
adjective
  1. of, for, or concerning work: work clothes.
  2. working (def. 18).
verb (used without object), worked or (Archaic) wrought;working.
  1. to do work; labor.
  2. to be employed, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood: He hasn't worked for six weeks.
  3. to be in operation, as a machine: The water should not be disconnected while the pump is working.
  4. to act or operate effectively: We all agree that this plan works.
  5. to attain a specified condition, as by repeated movement: The nails worked loose.
  6. to have an effect or influence, as on a person or on the mind or feelings of a person.
  7. to move in agitation, as the features under strong emotion.
  8. to make way with effort or under stress: The ship works to windward.
  9. to give slightly at the joints, as a vessel under strain at sea.
  10. to move improperly, as from defective fitting of parts or from wear.
  11. to undergo treatment by labor in a given way: This dough works slowly.
  12. to ferment, as a liquid.
verb (used with object), worked or ( Archaic except for 29, 31, 34 ) wrought;working.
  1. 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.
  2. to bring about (any result) by or as by work or effort: to work a change.
  3. to manipulate or treat by labor: to work butter.
  4. to put into effective operation.
  5. to operate (a mine, farm, etc.) for productive purposes: to work a coal mine.
  6. to carry on operations in (a district or region).
  7. to make, fashion, or execute by work.
  8. to achieve or win by work or effort: to work one's passage.
  9. to keep (a person, a horse, etc.) at work: She works her employees hard.
  10. to cause a strong emotion in: to work a crowd into a frenzy.
  11. to influence or persuade, especially insidiously: to work other people to one's will.
  12. 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.
  13. to make or decorate by needlework or embroidery: She worked a needlepoint cushion.
  14. to cause fermentation in.
Verb Phrases
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. to exercise influence on; persuade; affect: I'll work on her, and maybe she'll change her mind.
  4. 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.
  5. work over,
    • to study or examine thoroughly: For my term paper I worked over 30 volumes of Roman history.
    • to beat unsparingly, especially in order to obtain something or out of revenge: They threatened to work him over until he talked.
  6. to deal with successfully; come to terms with: to work through one's feelings of guilt.
  7. 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.
  8. rise to a higher position; advance: He worked up to the presidency.
Idioms
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. in preparation or being planned: A musical version of the book is in the works.
  4. to finish or dispose of quickly: We made short work of the chocolate layer cake.
  5. unemployed; jobless: Many people in the area were out of work.
  6. to spend all one's resources: Let's shoot the works and order the crêpes suzette.
  7. work it, Informal.
    • 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!
noun
  1. U.S. songwriter.
noun
  1. physical or mental effort directed towards doing or making something
  2. paid employment at a job or a trade, occupation, or profession
  3. a duty, task, or undertaking
  4. something done, made, etc, as a result of effort or exertion
  5. materials or tasks on which to expend effort or exertion
  6. another word for workmanship (def. 3)
  7. the place, office, etc, where a person is employed
  8. any piece of material that is undergoing a manufacturing operation or process; workpiece
    • decoration or ornamentation, esp of a specified kind
    • (in combination)
  9. an engineering structure such as a bridge, building, etc
  10. 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
  11. a structure, wall, etc, built or used as part of a fortification system
  12. at work
    • at one's job or place of employment
    • in action; operating
  13. to handle or dispose of very quickly
  14. of, relating to, or used for work
verb
  1. to exert effort in order to do, make, or perform something
  2. to be employed
  3. to carry on operations, activity, etc, in (a place or area)
  4. to cause to labour or toil
  5. to operate or cause to operate, esp properly or effectively
  6. to till or cultivate (land)
  7. to handle or manipulate or be handled or manipulated
  8. to shape, form, or process or be shaped, formed, or processed
  9. to reach or cause to reach a specific condition, esp gradually
  10. to solve (a mathematical problem)
  11. to move in agitation
  12. to provoke or arouse
  13. to effect or accomplish
  14. to make (one's way) with effort
  15. to make or decorate by hand in embroidery, tapestry, etc
  16. (of a mechanism) to move in a loose or otherwise imperfect fashion
  17. (of liquids) to ferment, as in brewing
  18. to manipulate or exploit to one's own advantage
  19. to cheat or swindle
    Work (noun) Definition, Meaning & Examples

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