work

Nouns

• (n) activity directed toward making or doing something
  • she checked several points needing further work
• (n) a product produced or accomplished through the effort or activity or agency of a person or thing
  • it is not regarded as one of his more memorable works
  • the symphony was hailed as an ingenious work
  • he was indebted to the pioneering work of John Dewey
  • the work of an active imagination
  • erosion is the work of wind or water over time
  piece of work,
• (n) the occupation for which you are paid
  • he is looking for employment
  • a lot of people are out of work
  employment,
• (n) applying the mind to learning and understanding a subject (especially by reading)
  • mastering a second language requires a lot of work
  • no schools offer graduate study in interior design
  study,
• (n) (physics) a manifestation of energy; the transfer of energy from one physical system to another expressed as the product of a force and the distance through which it moves a body in the direction of that force
  • work equals force times distance
• (n) a place where work is done
  • he arrived at work early today
  workplace,
• (n) the total output of a writer or artist (or a substantial part of it)
  • he studied the entire Wagnerian oeuvre
  • Picasso's work can be divided into periods
  body of work, oeuvre,

Verbs

• (v) exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
  • I will work hard to improve my grades
  • she worked hard for better living conditions for the poor
• (v) be employed
  • Is your husband working again?
  • My wife never worked
  • Do you want to work after the age of 60?
  • She never did any work because she inherited a lot of money
  • She works as a waitress to put herself through college
  do work,
• (v) have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected
  • The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought
  • How does your idea work in practice?
  • This method doesn't work
  • The breaks of my new car act quickly
  • The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water
  act,
• (v) perform as expected when applied
  • The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in
  • Does this old car still run well?
  • This old radio doesn't work anymore
  function, operate, run, go,
• (v) shape, form, or improve a material
  • work stone into tools
  • process iron
  • work the metal
  work on, process,
• (v) give a workout to
  • Some parents exercise their infants
  • My personal trainer works me hard
  • work one's muscles
  • this puzzle will exercise your mind
  exercise, work out,
• (v) proceed along a path
  • work one's way through the crowd
  • make one's way into the forest
  make,
• (v) operate in a certain place, area, or specialty
  • She works the night clubs
  • The salesman works the Midwest
  • This artist works mostly in acrylics
• (v) proceed towards a goal or along a path or through an activity
  • work your way through every problem or task
  • She was working on her second martini when the guests arrived
  • Start from the bottom and work towards the top
• (v) move in an agitated manner
  • His fingers worked with tension
• (v) cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
  • I cannot work a miracle
  • wreak havoc
  • bring comments
  • play a joke
  • The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area
  make for, wreak, bring, play,
• (v) cause to work
  • he is working his servants hard
  put to work,
• (v) prepare for crops
  • Work the soil
  • cultivate the land
  crop, cultivate,
• (v) behave in a certain way when handled
  • This dough does not work easily
  • The soft metal works well
• (v) have and exert influence or effect
  • The artist's work influenced the young painter
  • She worked on her friends to support the political candidate
  act upon, influence,
• (v) operate in or through
  • Work the phones
• (v) cause to operate or function
  • This pilot works the controls
  • Can you work an electric drill?
• (v) provoke or excite
  • The rock musician worked the crowd of young girls into a frenzy
• (v) gratify and charm, usually in order to influence
  • the political candidate worked the crowds
• (v) make something, usually for a specific function
  • She molded the rice balls carefully
  • Form cylinders from the dough
  • shape a figure
  • Work the metal into a sword
  shape, mould, mold, form, forge,
• (v) move into or onto
  • work the raisins into the dough
  • the student worked a few jokes into his presentation
  • work the body onto the flatbed truck
• (v) make uniform
  • knead dough
  • work the clay until it is soft
  knead,
• (v) use or manipulate to one's advantage
  • He exploit the new taxation system
  • She knows how to work the system
  • he works his parents for sympathy
  exploit,
• (v) find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
  • did you solve the problem?
  • Work out your problems with the boss
  • this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out
  • did you get it?
  • Did you get my meaning?
  • He could not work the math problem
  figure out, puzzle out, solve, lick, work out,
• (v) cause to undergo fermentation
  • We ferment the grapes for a very long time to achieve high alcohol content
  • The vintner worked the wine in big oak vats
  ferment,
• (v) go sour or spoil
  • The milk has soured
  • The wine worked
  • The cream has turned--we have to throw it out
  sour, ferment, turn,
• (v) arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion
  • The stitches of the hem worked loose after she wore the skirt many times

Synonyms

Antonyms

See also

Words of close approximity