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noun
1.
exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.
2.
something on which exertion or labor is expended; a task or undertaking: The students finished their work in class.
3.
productive or operative activity.
4.
employment, as in some form of industry, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood: to look for work.
5.
EXPANDone's place of employment: Don't phone him at work.
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.
(used with a singular or plural verb) a place or establishment for manufacturing (often used in combination): ironworks.
b.
the working parts of a machine: the works of a watch.
c.
Theology. righteous deeds.
12.
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.
13.
COLLAPSEthe works, Informal.
a.
everything; all related items or matters: a hamburger with the works.
b.
harsh or cruel treatment: to give someone the works.
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Out of work
is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
verb (used without object)
16.
to do work; labor.
17.
to be employed, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood: He hasn't worked for six weeks.
18.
to be in operation, as a machine.
19.
to act or operate effectively: The pump will not work. The plan works.
20.
EXPANDto attain a specified condition, as by repeated movement: The nails worked loose.
21.
to have an effect or influence, as on a person or on the mind or feelings of a person.
22.
to move in agitation, as the features under strong emotion.
23.
to make way with effort or under stress: The ship works to windward.
24.
Nautical. to give slightly at the joints, as a vessel under strain at sea.
25.
Machinery. to move improperly, as from defective fitting of parts or from wear.
26.
to undergo treatment by labor in a given way: This dough works slowly.
27.
COLLAPSEto ferment, as a liquid.
verb (used with object)
Verb phrases28.
to use or manage (an apparatus, contrivance, etc.): She can work many business machines.
29.
to bring about (any result) by or as by work or effort: to work a change.
30.
to manipulate or treat by labor: to work butter.
31.
to put into effective operation.
32.
EXPANDto operate (a mine, farm, etc.) for productive purposes: to work a coal mine.
33.
to carry on operations in (a district or region).
34.
to make, fashion, or execute by work.
35.
to achieve or win by work or effort: to work one's passage.
36.
to keep (a person, a horse, etc.) at work: She works her employees hard.
37.
to influence or persuade, especially insidiously: to work other people to one's will.
38.
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.
39.
to make or decorate by needlework or embroidery: She worked a needlepoint cushion.
40.
COLLAPSEto cause fermentation in.
41.
work in/into,
a.
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.
b.
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.
42.
work off,
a.
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.
b.
to pay or fulfill by working: He worked off his debt by doing odd jobs.
43.
work on/upon, to exercise influence on; persuade; affect: I'll work on her, and maybe she'll change her mind.
44.
work out,
a.
to bring about by work, effort, or action.
b.
to solve, as a problem.
c.
to arrive at by or as by calculation.
d.
to pay (a debt) by working instead of paying money.
e.
to exhaust, as a mine.
f.
to issue in a result.
g.
to evolve; elaborate.
h.
to amount to (a total or specified figure); add up (to): The total works out to 176.
i.
to prove effective or successful: Their marriage just didn't work out.
j.
to practice, exercise, or train, especially in order to become proficient in an athletic sport: The boxers are working out at the gym tonight.
45.
EXPANDwork over,
a.
to study or examine thoroughly: For my term paper I worked over 30 volumes of Roman history.
b.
Informal. to beat unsparingly, especially in order to obtain something or out of revenge: They threatened to work him over until he talked.
46.
work through, to deal with successfully; come to terms with: to work through one's feelings of guilt.
47.
work up,
a.
to move or stir the feelings; excite.
b.
to prepare; elaborate: Work up some plans.
c.
to increase in efficiency or skill: He worked up his typing speed to 70 words a minute.
48.
COLLAPSEwork up to, rise to a higher position; advance: He worked up to the presidency.
49.
at work,
a.
working, as at one's job: He's at work on a new novel.
b.
in action or operation: to see the machines at work.
50.
gum up the works, Slang. 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.
51.
in the works, in preparation or being planned: A musical version of the book is in the works.
52.
make short work of, to finish or dispose of quickly: We made short work of the chocolate layer cake.
53.
EXPANDout of work, unemployed; jobless: Many people in the area were out of work.
54.
COLLAPSEshoot the works, Slang. to spend all one's resources: Let's shoot the works and order the crêpes suzette.
Origin:
before 900; (noun) Middle English worke, Old English worc, replacing Middle English werk(e), Old English weorc, cognate with Old Frisian, Old Saxon werk, Old High German werah, werc (German Werk), Old Norse verk, Greek érgon; (v.) Middle English worken, derivative of the noun, replacing Middle English wyrchen, Old English wyrcean; cognate with German wirken, Old Norse verkja, Gothic waurkjan
before 900; (noun) Middle English worke, Old English worc, replacing Middle English werk(e), Old English weorc, cognate with Old Frisian, Old Saxon werk, Old High German werah, werc (German Werk), Old Norse verk, Greek érgon; (v.) Middle English worken, derivative of the noun, replacing Middle English wyrchen, Old English wyrcean; cognate with German wirken, Old Norse verkja, Gothic waurkjan
Related forms
non·work, noun
pre·work, verb, pre·worked or pre·wrought, pre·work·ing.
pre·work, noun, adjective
Synonyms
1. Work, drudgery, labor, toil refer to exertion of body or mind in performing or accomplishing something. 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, especially 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 labor: toil that breaks down the worker's health. 2. enterprise, project, job, responsibility. 3. industry, occupation, business. 4. job, trade, calling, vocation, profession. 7. product, achievement, feat. 16. toil, drudge. 28. operate, manipulate, handle. 29. accomplish, effect, produce, achieve. 34. finish, form, shape. 37. move.
1. Work, drudgery, labor, toil refer to exertion of body or mind in performing or accomplishing something. 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, especially 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 labor: toil that breaks down the worker's health. 2. enterprise, project, job, responsibility. 3. industry, occupation, business. 4. job, trade, calling, vocation, profession. 7. product, achievement, feat. 16. toil, drudge. 28. operate, manipulate, handle. 29. accomplish, effect, produce, achieve. 34. finish, form, shape. 37. move.
Antonyms
1. play, rest.
1. play, rest.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To out of work
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
work
a fusion of O.E. wyrcan (past tense worhte, pp. geworht), from P.Gmc. *wurkijanan; and O.E. wircan (Mercian) "to work, operate, function," formed relatively late from P.Gmc. noun *werkan (see work (n.)). Worker as a type of bee is recorded from 1747. Work out "do strenuous
EXPAND physical exercise" first recorded 1909, originally in boxing jargon. Working-class first attested 1789 (n.), 1839 (adj.). Workmanlike "efficient, no-nonsense" is recorded from 1739.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
work  (wûrk) Pronunciation Key
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. Compare energy, power. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
work (so) definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
out of work
Unemployed; also, having no work to do. For example, He lost his job a year ago and has been out of work ever since, or They don't give her enough assignments
she's always out of work. Shakespeare used this expression in Henry V (1:2): "All out of work and cold for action."
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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