work wəːk/ noun noun: work;plural noun: works;plural noun: the works 1. activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a result. he was tired after a days work in the fields synonyms: labour, toil, exertion, effort, slog, drudgery, the sweat of ones brow; More industry; service; informalgrind, sweat, donkey work, spadework, elbow grease; informalgraft, fag; informalyakka; archaictravail, moil he was tired after a days work in the fields antonyms: leisure, rest work as a means of earning income; employment. Im still looking for work synonyms: employment, a job, a post, a position, a situation, a means of earning ones living; More occupation, profession, career, business, trade, line; vocation, calling; archaicemploy Im still looking for work 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 W. Indian a job. I decided to get a work 2. a task or tasks to be undertaken. they made sure the work was progressing smoothly synonyms: tasks, jobs, duties, assignments, commissions, projects; More chores havent you got any work to do? the materials for a task. she frequently took work home with her Brit. activity involving construction or repair. extra costs caused by additional building works informal cosmetic plastic surgery. between you and me, I think hes had some work done Theology 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 synonyms: handiwork, doing, act, deed, feat, performance More the shooting was the work of a radical left-wing group a literary or musical composition or other piece of art. a work of fiction synonyms: composition, piece, creation, achievement, accomplishment; More work of art, opus, oeuvre one of the best works of modern English literature the artistic production of a particular author, composer, or artist, regarded collectively. the works of Schubert fill several feet of shelf space synonyms: writings, oeuvre, canon, output More the complete works of Shakespeare a piece of embroidery, sewing, or knitting, typically made using a specified stitch or method. 4. Brit. a place or premises in which industrial or manufacturing processes are carried out. he found a job in the locomotive works synonyms: factory, plant, manufacturing complex, mill, foundry, yard, industrial unit, business unit; More workshop, shop the site of a former car works 5. the operative part of a clock or other machine. she could almost hear the tick of its works synonyms: mechanism, machinery, workings, working parts, parts, movement, action; More informalinnards, insides the works of a clock 6. Military a defensive structure. just north of the fort were trenches and the freshly reconstructed patriot siege works 7. Physics the exertion of force overcoming resistance or producing molecular change. 8. informal everything needed, desired, or expected. the heavens put on a show: sheet lightning, hailstones, the works synonyms: everything, the full treatment; More informaleverything but the kitchen sink, the lot, the whole shooting match, the whole (kit and) caboodle, the whole shebang, the whole nine yards; informalthe full monty; informalthe whole ball of wax for only $60 you can get the works verb verb: work;3rd person present: works;past tense: worked;past participle: worked;past tense: wrought;past participle: wrought;gerund or present participle: working 1. be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result; do work. an engineer who was working on a design for a more efficient wing synonyms: toil, labour, exert oneself, slave (away), plod away; More work ones fingers to the bone, work like a Trojan/dog, work day and night, keep at it, keep ones nose to the grindstone; informalslog (away), beaver away, plug away, peg away, put ones back into something, work ones guts out, work ones socks off, knock oneself out, sweat blood, kill oneself; informalgraft, fag; informalbullock; vulgar slangwork ones balls/arse off; vulgar slangwork ones ass/butt off; archaicdrudge, travail, moil staff worked late into the night to make the necessary repairs antonyms: rest, play be employed in a specified occupation or field. he worked as a waiter in a rather shabby restaurant synonyms: be employed, have a job, earn ones living, hold down a job, do business, follow/ply ones trade More Taylor has worked in education for 17 years set to or keep at work. Jane is working you too hard practise ones occupation in or at (a particular place). I worked a few clubs and so forth W. Indian be engaged in (a particular occupation). I worked fireman on ships 2. (of a machine or system) function, especially properly or effectively. his phone doesnt work unless he goes to a high point synonyms: function, go, run, operate, perform; More be in working order; informalbehave Dinos car was now working perfectly (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 its not working synonyms: operate, use, handle, control, manipulate, manoeuvre, drive, run, direct; More ply, wield she showed me how to work the ice-cream machine 3. (of a plan or method) have the desired result or effect. the desperate ploy had worked synonyms: succeed, be successful, work out, turn out well, go as planned, have the desired result, get results; More be effective, take effect, be efficacious; informalcome off, pay off, do the trick, do the business; informalturn the trick their desperate ploy had worked antonyms: fail produce as a result. with a dash of blusher here and there, you can work miracles synonyms: bring about, accomplish, achieve, produce, do, perform, carry out, implement, execute, create, engender, contrive, effect More with a dash of blusher you can work miracles make efforts to achieve something; campaign. an organization working for a better life for people with mental illness exert influence or persuasion on. she worked upon the sympathy of her associates synonyms: persuade, manipulate, influence, sway, put pressure on, lean on; More coax, cajole, wheedle, soften up; informaltwist someones arm, put the squeeze on leave him to me—Ill work on him use ones persuasive power to stir the emotions of. the born politicians art of working a crowd 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 synonyms: knead, squeeze, form, shape, fashion, mould, model; More mix, stir, blend work the mixture into a paste 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 synonyms: cultivate, farm, till, plough; More exploit many farmers had given up working the land 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 synonyms: manoeuvre, manipulate, negotiate, guide, edge More he worked the blade into the padlock manoeuvre, make, thread, wind, weave John had worked his way through the crowd (of a persons features) move violently or convulsively. hair wild, mouth working furiously synonyms: twitch, quiver, twist, move spasmodically, convulse More Bellas mouth worked furiously for a few seconds Sailing 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 synonyms: stir (up), excite, drive, move, spur, rouse, fire, galvanize; More whip up, inflame, incite, agitate he worked the crowd into a frenzy Origin Old English weorc (noun), wyrcan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch werk and German Werk, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek ergon .
Posted on: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 10:49:15 +0000