- 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.
- an engineering structure, as a building or bridge.
- a building, wall, trench, or the like, constructed or made as a means of fortification.
- 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.
- 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.
- the works, Informal.
- everything; all related items or matters: a hamburger with the works.
- harsh or cruel treatment: to give someone the works.
- of, for, or concerning work: work clothes.
- working (def. 18).
- 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.
- to give slightly at the joints, as a vessel under strain at sea.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- to exercise influence on; persuade; affect: I'll work on her, and maybe she'll change her mind.
- 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.
- to beat unsparingly, especially in order to obtain something or out of revenge: They threatened to work him over until he talked.
- to deal with successfully; come to terms with: to work through one's feelings of guilt.
- 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.
- rise to a higher position; advance: He worked up to the presidency.
- 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.
- 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 preparation or being planned: A musical version of the book is in the works.
- to finish or dispose of quickly: We made short work of the chocolate layer cake.
- unemployed; jobless: Many people in the area were out of work.
- to spend all one's resources: Let's shoot the works and order the crêpes suzette.
- 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!
- U.S. songwriter.
- 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
- materials or tasks on which to expend effort or exertion
- another word for workmanship (def. 3)
- 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)
- an engineering structure such as a bridge, building, etc
- 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 work
- at one's job or place of employment
- in action; operating
- to handle or dispose of very quickly
- of, relating to, or used for work
- to exert effort in order to do, make, or perform something
- to be employed
- to carry on operations, activity, etc, in (a place or area)
- to cause to labour or toil
- to operate or cause to operate, esp properly or effectively
- to till or cultivate (land)
- to handle or manipulate or be handled or manipulated
- to shape, form, or process or be shaped, formed, or processed
- to reach or cause to reach a specific condition, esp gradually
- to solve (a mathematical problem)
- to move in agitation
- to provoke or arouse
- to effect or accomplish
- to make (one's way) with effort
- to make or decorate by hand in embroidery, tapestry, etc
- (of a mechanism) to move in a loose or otherwise imperfect fashion
- (of liquids) to ferment, as in brewing
- to manipulate or exploit to one's own advantage
- to cheat or swindle