[
US
/ˈwɝk/
]
[ UK /wˈɜːk/ ]
[ UK /wˈɜːk/ ]
VERB
-
shape, form, or improve a material
process iron
work stone into tools
work the metal -
operate in a certain place, area, or specialty
She works the night clubs
This artist works mostly in acrylics
The salesman works the Midwest -
be employed
She never did any work because she inherited a lot of money
Is your husband working again?
My wife never worked
Do you want to work after the age of 60?
She works as a waitress to put herself through college -
proceed along a path
make one's way into the forest
work one's way through the crowd -
have and exert influence or effect
She worked on her friends to support the political candidate
The artist's work influenced the young painter -
prepare for crops
Work the soil
cultivate the land -
behave in a certain way when handled
The soft metal works well
This dough does not work easily -
perform as expected when applied
The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in
This old radio doesn't work anymore
Does this old car still run well? -
have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected
The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water
This method doesn't work
The breaks of my new car act quickly
The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought
How does your idea work in practice? -
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 -
operate in or through
Work the phones -
find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out
Did you get my meaning?
did you solve the problem?
did you get it?
He could not work the math problem
did you get it?
Work out your problems with the boss -
use or manipulate to one's advantage
He exploit the new taxation system
he works his parents for sympathy
She knows how to work the system -
cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
bring comments
I cannot work a miracle
wreak havoc
play a joke
The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area -
gratify and charm, usually in order to influence
the political candidate worked the crowds -
make something, usually for a specific function
shape a figure
Work the metal into a sword
Form cylinders from the dough
She molded the rice balls carefully -
move in an agitated manner
His fingers worked with tension -
proceed towards a goal or along a path or through an activity
work your way through every problem or task
Start from the bottom and work towards the top
She was working on her second martini when the guests arrived -
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 -
cause to operate or function
Can you work an electric drill?
This pilot works the controls -
provoke or excite
The rock musician worked the crowd of young girls into a frenzy -
arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion
The stitches of the hem worked loose after she wore the skirt many times -
give a workout to
this puzzle will exercise your mind
work one's muscles
My personal trainer works me hard
Some parents exercise their infants -
cause to work
he is working his servants hard -
go sour or spoil
The wine worked
The cream has turned--we have to throw it out
The milk has soured -
make uniform
work the clay until it is soft
knead dough -
cause to undergo fermentation
The vintner worked the wine in big oak vats
We ferment the grapes for a very long time to achieve high alcohol content
NOUN
-
(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 -
the occupation for which you are paid
a lot of people are out of work
he is looking for employment -
activity directed toward making or doing something
she checked several points needing further work -
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 -
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 -
a place where work is done
he arrived at work early today -
a product produced or accomplished through the effort or activity or agency of a person or thing
the work of an active imagination
erosion is the work of wind or water over time
he was indebted to the pioneering work of John Dewey
the symphony was hailed as an ingenious work
it is not regarded as one of his more memorable works
How To Use work In A Sentence
- She has certainly branched out into more interesting work in recent years.
- Some of the crew went off-shift, stringing up hybrid bunks and hammocks belowdecks, the others continued working.
- He wrote and tcanslaited many fortunate connexion « Mr. Boweai other works, and among the rest being unable to pay the costs in-* wa»the author of one play, called curred by the suit in the Spiritual Biographia dramatica, or, A companion to the playhouse:
- The speech was brimming with ideas for rewarding work and reducing dependency. Times, Sunday Times
- In 1850 Joy and Edward Wilson patented twin boilers working in parallel within the same casing.
- Someone who really wanted to stop unsanctioned immigration would begin here, by busting the small contractors who employ these workers on a contingent basis.
- We believe that it is okay to charge for healing based on the doctrine, ‘The workman is worthy of his hire.’
- One can only guess at the research and detective work that has gone into the bald details recorded for each piece.
- To avoid leaving the center posts in the permanent work, two rows of temporary posts were placed, as shown by Fig. 1, Plate LX, the center wall and skewback were built, and the posts were removed, as shown by Fig. 2, Plate LX, before placing the remainder of the lining. Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. LXVIII, Sept. 1910 The New York Tunnel Extension of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The Cross-Town Tunnels. Paper No. 1158
- He did his final piece of serious work on Tuesday morning, which was grand, and we have just kept him ticking over with a couple of canters.