work

[wurk] noun, adjective, verb, worked or ( Archaic, except for 29, 31, 34 ) wrought; working.
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.
one'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.
the works, Informal.
a.
everything; all related items or matters: a hamburger with the works.
b.
harsh or cruel treatment: to give someone the works.
adjective
14.
of, for, or concerning work: work clothes.
15.
working ( def 18 ).
00:10
Work out is always a great word to know.
So is zedonk. Does it mean:
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
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.
to 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.
to ferment, as a liquid.
verb (used with object)
28.
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.
to 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.
to cause fermentation in.
Verb phrases
41.
work ininto,
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 onupon, 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.
work 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.
work up to, rise to a higher position; advance: He worked up to the presidency.
Idioms
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.
out of work, unemployed; jobless: Many people in the area were out of work.
54.
shoot 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

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.

Antonyms
1. play, rest.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To work out
Collins
World English Dictionary
work (wɜːk) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
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: a work of art
5.  materials or tasks on which to expend effort or exertion
6.  another word for workmanship
7.  the place, office, etc, where a person is employed
8.  any piece of material that is undergoing a manufacturing operation or process; workpiece
9.  a.  decoration or ornamentation, esp of a specified kind
 b.  (in combination): wirework; woolwork
10.  an engineering structure such as a bridge, building, etc
11.  physics W, Abbreviation: w 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
12.  a structure, wall, etc, built or used as part of a fortification system
13.  at work
 a.  at one's job or place of employment
 b.  in action; operating
14.  informal make short work of to handle or dispose of very quickly
15.  (modifier) of, relating to, or used for work: work clothes; a work permit
 
—vb (often foll by up)
16.  (intr) to exert effort in order to do, make, or perform something
17.  (intr) to be employed
18.  (tr) to carry on operations, activity, etc, in (a place or area): that salesman works the southern region
19.  (tr) to cause to labour or toil: he works his men hard
20.  to operate or cause to operate, esp properly or effectively: to work a lathe; that clock doesn't work
21.  (tr) to till or cultivate (land)
22.  to handle or manipulate or be handled or manipulated: to work dough
23.  to shape, form, or process or be shaped, formed, or processed: to work copper
24.  to reach or cause to reach a specific condition, esp gradually: the rope worked loose
25.  chiefly (US), (Canadian) (tr) to solve (a mathematical problem)
26.  (intr) to move in agitation: his face worked with anger
27.  to provoke or arouse: to work someone into a frenzy
28.  (tr) to effect or accomplish: to work one's revenge
29.  to make (one's way) with effort: he worked his way through the crowd
30.  (tr) to make or decorate by hand in embroidery, tapestry, etc: she was working a sampler
31.  (intr) (of a mechanism) to move in a loose or otherwise imperfect fashion
32.  (intr) (of liquids) to ferment, as in brewing
33.  informal (tr) to manipulate or exploit to one's own advantage
34.  slang (tr) to cheat or swindle
 
[Old English weorc (n), wircan, wyrcan (vb); related to Old High German wurchen, German wirken, Old Norse yrkja, Gothic waurkjan]
 
'workless
 
—adj
 
'worklessness
 
—n

work out
 
—vb
1.  (tr) to achieve or accomplish by effort
2.  (tr) to solve or find out by reasoning or calculation: to work out an answer; to work out a sum
3.  (tr) to devise or formulate: to work out a plan
4.  (intr) to prove satisfactory or effective: did your plan work out?
5.  (intr) to happen as specified: it all worked out well
6.  (intr) to take part in physical exercise, as in training
7.  (tr) to remove all the mineral in (a mine, body of ore, etc) that can be profitably exploited
8.  (intr; often foll by to or at) to reach a total: your bill works out at a pound
9.  informal (tr) to understand the real nature of: I shall never work you out
 
—n
10.  a session of physical exercise, esp for training or practice

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

work
O.E. weorc, worc "something done, deed, action, proceeding, business, military fortification," from P.Gmc. *werkan (cf. O.S., O.Fris., Du. werk, O.N. verk, M.Du. warc, O.H.G. werah, Ger. Werk, Goth. gawaurki), from PIE base *werg- "to work" (see urge (v.)).
"Work is less boring than amusing oneself." [Baudelaire, "Mon Coeur mis a nu," 1862]
In O.E., the noun also had the sense of "fornication." Workhouse in the sense of "place where the poor or petty criminals are lodged" first appeared 1652. Works "industrial place" (usually with qualifying adj.) is attested from 1581. Work station is recorded from 1950.

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
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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
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.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

work definition


In physics, the product of a force applied, and the distance through which that force acts.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary

work (oneself) definition


  1. tv.
    to work very hard and sweat very much. (In the way that a horse works up a lather.) : Don't work yourself up into a lather. We don't need to finish this today.
  2. tv.
    to get excited or angry. (An elaboration of work (oneself) up to.) : Now, now, don't work yourself up into a lather.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source

work (so) definition


  1. tv.
    to threaten, intimidate, or beat someone. : Bruno had worked over Terry, and Sam knew that this was no idle threat.
  2. tv.
    to give someone's body a thorough examination or treatment. : The doctors worked her over to the tune of $1,500 but couldn't find anything wrong with her.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

work out

  1. Accomplish by work or effort, as in I think we can work out a solution to this problem. [1500s] For work out all right, see turn out all right.

  2. Find a solution for, solve, as in They hoped to work out their personal differences, or Can you help me work out this equation? [Mid-1800s]

  3. Formulate or develop, as in We were told to work out a new plan, or He's very good at working out complicated plots. [Early 1800s]

  4. Discharge a debt by working instead of paying money, as in She promised she'd work out the rest of the rent by baby-sitting for them. [Second half of 1600s]

  5. Prove effective or successful, as in I wonder if their marriage will work out.

  6. Have a specific result, add up, as in It worked out that she was able to go to the party after all, or The total works out to more than a million. [Late 1800s]

  7. Engage in strenuous exercise for physical conditioning, as in He works out with weights every other day. [1920s]

  8. Exhaust a resource, such as a mine, as in This mine has been completely worked out. [Mid-1500s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
He can thenceforward be trusted to work out his own salvation.
The dean can then tweak their recommendation somewhat, and then work out the
  rest of the negotiable details.
From what the article says, the hydrogen side shouldn't be too difficult to
  work out.
While that's certainly possible, new health discoveries rarely work out that
  way.
Idioms & Phrases
turn out all right
MORE
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriHome Advisor
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
About PRIVACY POLICY Terms API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Suggest a Word Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT