team-work

A group of students demonstrate good team-work on a science project.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Collaborative effort: "team-work" refers to the combined action of a group of people, especially when effective and efficient, enabling the group to achieve a common goal or complete a task more effectively than individuals working separately.
   • Organized cooperation: It specifically denotes the structured and coordinated cooperation among members of a team, often emphasizing mutual support, communication, and division of labor.

Usage Examples

• (The collaborative effort of the entire group led to success.)
• (Effective cooperation depends on sharing information and mutual confidence.)
• (The coach stressed that working together is more important than any single player's actions.)

Advanced Usage

• "to foster team-work": to encourage or promote collaborative behavior within a group.

  • The manager organized workshops to foster team-work among new employees. (The manager created activities to build cooperation.)

• "to break down team-work": to damage or destroy the collaborative spirit in a group.

  • Constant criticism can break down team-work and lower morale. (Negative feedback can ruin cooperation and motivation.)

Variants and Related Words

• Team (n): a group of people working together.
  • The team worked late to finish the project. (The group of colleagues cooperated to complete the task.)
• Team-player (n): a person who works well as a member of a team.
  • She is a true team-player, always supporting her colleagues. (She collaborates effectively with others.)
• Team-building (n): activities designed to improve trust and cooperation within a group.
  • The company organized a team-building retreat in the mountains. (An event to strengthen group bonds.)

Synonyms

• Collaboration: the act of working jointly on an activity or project.
• Cooperation: the process of working together towards the same end.
• Partnership: a cooperative relationship between people or groups.

Related Idioms

• "There is no 'I' in team": a phrase used to remind people that teamwork requires subordinating individual ego for the group's benefit.

  • When someone boasted about their solo achievement, the manager said, "Remember, there is no 'I' in team." (The manager reminded them that group effort matters more than individual glory.)

• "To pull together": to work cooperatively towards a common goal.

  • The staff pulled together to meet the tight deadline. (They cooperated to finish the work on time.)