work
Other forms: works; working; worked
The word work has many shades of meaning, but most involve putting in an effort of some sort. You're not going to become an Olympic ice skater overnight. You'll need to do a serious amount of work to get there.
When you say you have to go to work, work is a noun meaning your workplace. The actual tasks you perform at your workplace — what you get paid for — are also called work. Your work might consist of answering the phone or baking bread or doing the accounting. Work can also be a verb describing doing some kind of activity, often one associated with your job. It's a bummer to work on Saturday when you already worked all week.
Definitions of work
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activity directed toward making or doing something“she checked several points needing further work”types:actionthe most important or interesting work or activity in a specific area or fieldjoba damaging piece of workjobthe performance of a piece of workoperation, procedurea process or series of acts especially of a practical or mechanical nature involved in a particular form of workservicework done by one person or group that benefits anotherheavy liftingdifficult workhousewiferythe work of a housewifeironingthe work of using heat to smooth washed clothes in order to remove any wrinklesloggingthe work of cutting down trees for timbernightworkwork to be done at nightpaperworkwork that involves handling papers: forms or letters or reports etc.social service, welfare workan organized activity to improve the condition of disadvantaged people in societyaid, attention, care, tendingthe work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or somethingdutywork that you are obliged to perform for moral or legal reasonsspadeworkdull or routine preliminary work preparing for an undertakingtimeworkwork paid for at a rate per unit of timecourseworkwork assigned to and done by a student during a course of study; usually it is evaluated as part of the student's grade in the courseablutionthe ritual washing of a priest's hands or of sacred vesselswashing-upthe washing of dishes etc after a mealwindow-washingthe activity of washing windowsrinsewashing lightly without soaphair care, haircare, hairdressingcare for the hair: the activity of washing or cutting or curling or arranging the hairropingcapturing cattle or horses with a lassobreeze, child's play, cinch, duck soup, picnic, piece of cake, pushover, snap, walkoverany undertaking that is easy to doconsulting serviceservice provided by a professional advisor (e.g., a lawyer or doctor or CPA etc.)facilitya service that an organization or a piece of equipment offers youlaunderingwashing clothes and bed linensshoeshinethe act of shining shoesnational servicecompulsory service in the military during peacetimeutilitythe service (electric power or water or transportation) provided by a public utilitycorveeunpaid labor (as for the maintenance of roads) required by a lord of his vassals in lieu of taxeshackworkprofessional work done according to formulahaymakingcutting grass and curing it to make hayslaverywork done under harsh conditions for little or no payanalysisan investigation of the component parts of a whole and their relations in making up the wholecount, counting, enumeration, numeration, reckoning, tallythe act of counting; reciting numbers in ascending orderempiricismthe application of empirical methods in any art or scienceexamination, testingthe act of giving students or candidates a test (as by questions) to determine what they know or have learnedresearchsystematic investigation to establish factssearchan investigation seeking answerstabulationthe act of putting into tabular formmaternalismmotherly care; behavior characteristic of a mother; the practice of acting as a mother does toward her childrenbaby sitting, babysittingthe work of a baby sitter; caring for children when their parents are not homepet sittingthe work of a pet sitter; caring for pets in their own home while their owners are away from homedental carecare for the teethfirst aidemergency care given before regular medical aid can be obtainedintervention, treatmentcare provided to improve a situation (especially medical procedures or applications that are intended to relieve illness or injury)incubationmaintaining something at the most favorable temperature for its developmentliverythe care (feeding and stabling) of horses for paymanicureprofessional care for the hands and fingernailspedicureprofessional care for the feet and toenailsnourishmentthe act of nourishingnursingthe work of caring for the sick or injured or infirmnurturancephysical and emotional care and nourishmentpersonal carecare for someone who is disabled or is otherwise unable to care for themselves; can including bathing and cooking and managing bodily functionsfunction, office, part, rolethe actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or groupassignment, duty assignmenta duty that you are assigned to perform (especially in the armed forces)adventure, dangerous undertaking, escapade, risky venturea wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)assignmentan undertaking that you have been assigned to do (as by an instructor)babya project of personal concern to someoneendeavor, endeavour, enterprisea purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)labor of love, labour of loveproductive work performed voluntarily without material reward or compensationno-braineranything that requires little thoughtpropositiona task to be dealt withventureany venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcometree surgerytreatment of damaged or decaying treeshealth care, healthcarethe preservation of mental and physical health by preventing or treating illness through services offered by the health professionsocial workany of various services designed to aid the poor and aged and to increase the welfare of childrencaseworkclose sociological study of a maladjusted person or family for diagnosis and treatmenttype of:activityany specific behavior
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applying the mind to learning and understanding a subject (especially by reading)
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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”synonyms: piece of worktypes:ironworkwork made of iron (gratings or rails or railings etc)laceworkwork consisting of (or resembling) lace fabriclacquerwarea decorative work made of wood and covered with lacquer and often inlaid with ivory or precious metalsleatherworkwork made of leathermetalworkthe metal parts of somethingopenworkornamental work (such as embroidery or latticework) having a pattern of openingspolychromea piece of work composed of or decorated in many colorssilverworkdecorative work made of silverwoodworkwork made of wood; especially moldings or stairways or furniturework in progressa piece of work that is not yet finishedworkpiecework consisting of a piece of metal being machinedpublicationa copy of a printed work offered for distributioncabinetworkwoodwork finished by hand by a cabinetmakerjapanlacquerware decorated and varnished in the Japanese manner with a glossy durable black lacquerjoineryfine woodwork done by a joinermillworkwoodwork that has been machined at a millreissue, reprint, reprintinga publication (such as a book) that is reprinted without changes or editing and offered again for salenew editiona publication (such as a book) that has been modified or updated and offered again for salebooka written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)volumea publication that is one of a set of several similar publicationsreadsomething that is readperiodicala publication that appears at fixed intervalsmag, magazinea periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to ittip sheeta publication containing the latest information or tips or predictions for a particular business or stock market information or horse racing results, etc.republicationsomething that has been published again; a fresh publication (as of a literary work)type of:
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the total output of a writer or artist (or a substantial part of it)“Picasso's work can be divided into periods”synonyms: body of work, oeuvre
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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”synonyms:do workbe employedantonyms:idlebe idle; exist in a changeless situationtypes:futz, mess around, monkey, monkey around, muck about, muck around, potter, putter, tinkerdo random, unplanned work or activities; spend time idlycarpenterwork as a carpenterclerkwork as a clerk, as in the legal businesspagework as a pagepull one's weightdo one's share in a common taskelectioneerwork actively for a political candidate or a partyassistact as an assistant in a subordinate or supportive functionkeep one's nose to the grindstone, keep one's shoulder to the wheel, peg away, plug away, slogwork doggedly or persistentlyvolunteerdo volunteer workministerwork as a ministerinternwork, sometimes without pay, as an internskipperwork as the skipper on a vesselboondoggledo useless, wasteful, or trivial workservedevote (part of) one's life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideasprotectuse tariffs to favor domestic industrypuddlemess around, as in a liquid or pastewhip throughgo through very fastcollaboratecooperate as a traitorabetassist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing
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cause to work
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give a workout to
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shape, form, or improve a material
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make something, usually for a specific function“Work the metal into a sword”types:carveform by carvingchipform by chippinglayermake or form a layercut outform and create by cutting outmachineturn, shape, mold, or otherwise finish by machinerygrindshape or form by grindingstampform or cut out with a mold, form, or diepuddlesubject to puddling or form by puddlingbeatshape by beatingpreformform or shape beforehand or determine the shape of beforehandpreformform into a shape resembling the final, desired onemoundform into a rounded elevationhillform into a hillroughcastshape roughlysintercause (ores or powdery metals) to become a coherent mass by heating without meltingthrowmake on a potter's wheelgouge outmake gouges into a surfacerabbetcut a rectangular groove intomound overform a mound oversand castpour molten metal into a mold of sandfretcarve a pattern intotype of:
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make uniform
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behave in a certain way when handled
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provoke or excite
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gratify and charm, usually in order to influence
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operate in a certain place, area, or specialty“The salesman works the Midwest”“This artist works mostly in acrylics”synonyms:do workbe employed
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use or manipulate to one's advantage
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operate in or through
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cause to operate or function
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prepare for crops
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cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
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find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of“Work out your problems with the boss”“this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out”“He could not work the math problem”synonyms: figure out, lick, puzzle out, solve, work out
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the occupation for which you are paid“a lot of people are out of work”synonyms: employmenttypes:booking, engagementemployment for performers or performing groups that lasts for a limited period of timeministrythe work of a minister of religionpieceworkwork paid for according to the quantity producedserviceemployment in or work for anothertelecommuting, teleworkingemployment at home while communicating with the workplace by phone or fax or modemservicesperformance of duties or provision of space and equipment helpful to otherspublic serviceemployment within a government system (especially in the civil service)paper routethe job of delivering newspapers regularlygiga booking for performers, especially musicianscabotagenavigation in coastal waterscase loadthe number of cases handled in a given period of time (as by a court or agency)ministerthe job of a head of a government departmenttype of:business, job, line, line of work, occupationthe principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
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a place where work is done“he arrived at work early today”synonyms: workplacetypes:bakehouse, bakery, bakeshopa workplace where baked goods (breads and cakes and pastries) are produced or soldbeehiveany workplace where people are very busycentral, exchange, telephone exchangea workplace that serves as a telecommunications facility where lines from telephones can be connected together to permit communicationcolliery, pita workplace consisting of a coal mine plus all the buildings and equipment connected with itcreamerya workplace where dairy products (butter and cheese etc.) are produced or solddrill siteworkplace that is the site of a drill holeexchangea workplace for buying and selling; open only to membersfarmworkplace consisting of farm buildings and cultivated land as a unitfish farma workplace (usually a pond) where fish are raised for foodgasworksthe workplace where coal gas is manufacturedglassworksa workplace where glass is madeironworksthe workplace where iron is smelted or where iron goods are madejoba workplace; as in the expression "on the job";lab, laboratory, research lab, research laboratory, science lab, science laboratorya workplace for the conduct of scientific researchlaundryworkplace where clothes are washed and ironedlocationa workplace away from a studio at which some or all of a movie may be madelumberyarda workplace where lumber is stocked for saleproving grounda workplace for testing new equipment or ideasroundhouseworkplace consisting of a circular building for repairing locomotivesshipyarda workplace where ships are built or repairedshop floorworkplace consisting of the part of a factory housing the machinesstudioworkplace for the teaching or practice of an artstudioworkplace consisting of a room or building where movies or television shows or radio programs are produced and recordedtanneryworkplace where skins and hides are tannedtest beda place equipped with instruments for testing (e.g. engines or machinery or computer programs etc.) under working conditionswaterworksworkplace where water is stored and purified and distributed for a communitybinderya workshop where books are boundbookbinderya bookbinder's workshop; a place for binding booksbroadcasting studioa studio where broadcasts originatecentrex(CENTRal EXchange) a kind of telephone exchangechicken farmfarm where chickens are raised for salechop shopa place where stolen cars are disassembled for their partscommodities exchange, commodities market, commodity exchangean exchange for buying and selling commodities for future deliverycorn exchangean exchange where grains are bought and soldcrofta small farm worked by a crofterdefense laboratorya laboratory devoted to research and development for national defensedye-worksa workshop where dyeing is donegrangean outlying farmhome-farma farm that supplies the needs of a large estate of establishmentLaundromat, launderettea self-service laundry (service mark Laundromat) where coin-operated washing machines are available to individual customersmachine shopworkshop where metal is cut and shaped etc., by machine toolspatisseriea bakery specializing in French pastrypearl fisherya fishery where they fish for pearl oysterspotterya workshop where clayware is madecattle farm, cattle ranch, ranch, spreadfarm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)recording studiostudio where tapes and records are recordedsaddleryworkshop where a saddler workssewage farma farm that is irrigated and fertilized with raw sewagesheltered workshopa workshop that offers jobs to members of the physically or developmentally disabled populationsecurities market, stock exchange, stock marketan exchange where security trading is conducted by professional stockbrokersstud farma farm where horses are bredturneryworkshop where objects are made on a lathewashhousea building or outbuilding where laundry is donetype of:
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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”synonyms: do workput to workcause to worktypes:servedo duty or hold offices; serve in a specific functionbankbe in the banking businessdrivework as a drivertinkerwork as a tinker or tinkererservedo military servicefarmbe a farmer; work as a farmermoonlightwork a second job, usually after hoursjobwork occasionallymantake charge of a certain job; occupy a certain work placesubcontractwork under a subcontract; engage in a subcontractturn a trickhave a customer, of a prostitutefreelancework independently and on temporary contracts rather than for a long-term employersitserve in a specific professional capacitystaffserve on the staff ofactdischarge one's dutiesrotateperform a job or duty on a rotating basisranchmanage or run a ranchrepresentbe a delegate or spokesperson for; represent somebody's interest or be a proxy or substitute for, as of politicians and office holders representing their constituents, or of a tenant representing other tenants in a housing dispute
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(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”type of:energy, free energy(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs
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proceed towards a goal or along a path or through an activity
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proceed along a path
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move into or onto
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move in an agitated manner
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arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion
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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 medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water”synonyms: acttype of:bring home the bacon, come through, deliver the goods, succeed, winattain success or reach a desired goal
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perform as expected when applied
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have and exert influence or effect“She worked on her friends to support the political candidate”
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cause to undergo fermentation
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go sour or spoil
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