Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act or process of operating, functioning, or working: This refers to the state of being active or the way something functions.
   • A planned activity or series of acts, especially of a practical, military, or business nature: This refers to a coordinated effort involving many people to achieve a specific goal.
   • A surgical procedure: A medical procedure performed with instruments to repair damage or treat disease in a living body.
   • A mathematical process or calculation: A basic process like addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.
   • The condition of being in effect or active: The state in which a rule, system, or machine is functioning.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The smooth operation of the factory depends on skilled workers.
  • The military conducted a covert operation behind enemy lines.
  • She is recovering well from her knee operation.
  • Addition and subtraction are basic arithmetic operations.
  • The new law has been in operation for six months.

Advanced Usage

• "to come into operation": to begin to function or be applied.
  • The new regulations will come into operation next week.
• "in operation": functioning, active, or in effect.
  • The emergency plan is now in operation.
• "a joint operation": an activity undertaken by two or more groups working together.
  • The drug bust was a joint operation between federal and local police.

Variants and Related Words

• Operate (verb): to function or to control the functioning of something.
  • Do you know how to operate this machine?
• Operational (adjective): ready for use; functional.
  • The new airport is now fully operational.
• Operator (noun): a person who operates equipment or manages an operation.
  • She works as a computer operator.

Synonyms

• Functioning: the action or process of working.
• Procedure: an established or official way of doing something.
• Campaign: a series of military operations or planned activities with a particular aim.
• Surgery: medical treatment involving an incision.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Not applicable for this noun. The word "operation" is primarily a noun. Related actions use the verb "operate" (e.g., , ).

Related Idioms

• A well-oiled operation: an activity or organization that runs very smoothly and efficiently.
  • The event was a success thanks to a well-oiled operation.
• A covert operation: a secret mission or activity.
  • The spy was involved in a covert operation.

Noun

1. the activity of operating something (a machine or business etc.)
   • her smooth operation of the vehicle gave us a surprisingly comfortable ride
2. (mathematics) calculation by mathematical methods
   • the problems at the end of the chapter demonstrated the mathematical processes involved in the derivation
   • they were learning the basic operations of arithmetic
3. (psychology) the performance of some composite cognitive activity; an operation that affects mental contents
   • the process of thinking
   • the cognitive operation of remembering
4. process or manner of functioning or operating
   • the power of its engine determines its operation
   • the plane's operation in high winds
   • they compared the cooking performance of each oven
   • the jet's performance conformed to high standards
5. a process or series of acts especially of a practical or mechanical nature involved in a particular form of work
   • the operations in building a house
   • certain machine tool operations
6. a medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body
   • they will schedule the operation as soon as an operating room is available
   • he died while undergoing surgery
7. activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign)
   • it was a joint operation of the navy and air force
8. (computer science) data processing in which the result is completely specified by a rule (especially the processing that results from a single instruction)
   • it can perform millions of operations per second
9. a planned activity involving many people performing various actions
   • they organized a rescue operation
   • the biggest police operation in French history
   • running a restaurant is quite an operation
   • consolidate the companies various operations
10. a business especially one run on a large scale
    • a large-scale farming operation
    • a multinational operation
    • they paid taxes on every stage of the operation
    • they had to consolidate their operations
11. the state of being in effect or being operative
    • that rule is no longer in operation