Definition

1. Noun:

   • Activity involving mental or physical effort done to achieve a purpose or result: "Work" refers to tasks, duties, or labor performed, often for payment or to produce something.
   • A task or tasks to be undertaken: "Work" can denote a specific piece of labor or a project.
   • A place of employment: "Work" is also used to refer to the location where one is employed.
   • Something produced as a result of effort, such as an artistic or literary creation: "Work" can mean an artifact, a product, or a piece of art.
   • (Physics) The transfer of energy when a force moves an object: In science, "work" is a measurable quantity of energy transfer.

2. Verb:

   • To engage in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a purpose: The most common meaning, involving exertion or effort.
   • To be employed; to have a job: "Work" means to have regular paid employment.
   • To function or operate correctly: "Work" describes a machine, system, or plan functioning as intended.
   • To have a desired effect or outcome: "Work" can mean to be effective or successful.
   • To shape, form, or process a material: "Work" involves manipulating a substance, like clay or metal.
   • To move or progress gradually into a particular state or position: "Work" can describe a slow, deliberate movement or change.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • She has a lot of work to finish before the deadline. (Activity/Effort)
  • He is looking for work in the tech industry. (Employment)
  • I'll meet you after work. (Place of employment)
  • This sculpture is her greatest work. (Artistic creation)
  • The engine does the work of moving the car. (Physics)

• Verb:

  • They work hard to provide for their family. (Engage in activity)
  • She works as a software engineer. (Is employed)
  • My phone isn't working properly. (Functioning)
  • Did the medicine work? (Have the desired effect)
  • The potter worked the clay on the wheel. (Shape a material)
  • The screw has worked itself loose. (Moved gradually)

Advanced Usage

• "to work one's way": to progress slowly or with effort through something.

  • He worked his way through college. (He paid for college by working.)
  • We worked our way through the dense crowd. (We moved slowly through it.)

• "to work on someone/something": to try to influence someone or to spend time improving/repairing something.

  • She's working on her boss to approve the project. (Trying to persuade)
  • The mechanic is working on my car. (Repairing)

• "to work out": to exercise; to find a solution; to develop in a certain way.

  • I work out at the gym three times a week. (Exercise)
  • Let's work out a plan. (Devise a solution)
  • I hope everything works out for you. (Develops successfully)

Variants and Related Words

• Worker (n): A person who works.

  • The workers went on strike.

• Workable (adj): Capable of being worked, shaped, or solved; practical.

  • We need a workable solution.

• Workforce (n): The people engaged in or available for work.

  • The company's workforce is highly skilled.

• Workload (n): The amount of work to be done.

  • Her workload this month is very heavy.

Synonyms

• Labor (n/v): Work, especially hard physical work.
• Toil (n/v): Exhausting work.
• Function (v): To operate or work.
• Employment (n): Work, especially in the context of having a job.
• Operate (v): To function or control the functioning of something.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Work up: To develop or excite.

  • He worked up the courage to ask her out. (Developed)
  • The speaker worked up the crowd. (Excited)

• Work through: To deal with a problem or emotion gradually.

  • It took years to work through the grief. (Process)

• Work over: (Informal) To beat someone up; to examine or redo something thoroughly.

  • The thieves worked him over and took his wallet. (Beat up)
  • The editor worked over the manuscript. (Examined/Revised thoroughly)

Related Idioms

• All in a day's work: A normal part of one's job or routine, even if difficult.

  • Dealing with difficult customers is all in a day's work for her.

• Work like a charm: To function perfectly or be completely successful.

  • The new software works like a charm.

• Work one's fingers to the bone: To work extremely hard.

  • She worked her fingers to the bone to build the business.

• Make short work of: To finish or deal with something quickly and easily.

  • He made short work of the large meal. (Ate it quickly)

Verb

1. arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion
   • The stitches of the hem worked loose after she wore the skirt many times
2. go sour or spoil
   • The milk has soured
   • The wine worked
   • The cream has turned--we have to throw it out
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. make uniform
   • knead dough
   • work the clay until it is soft
7. 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
8. 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
9. gratify and charm, usually in order to influence
   • the political candidate worked the crowds
10. provoke or excite
    • The rock musician worked the crowd of young girls into a frenzy
11. cause to operate or function
    • This pilot works the controls
    • Can you work an electric drill?
12. operate in or through
    • Work the phones
13. have and exert influence or effect
    • The artist's work influenced the young painter
    • She worked on her friends to support the political candidate
14. behave in a certain way when handled
    • This dough does not work easily
    • The soft metal works well
15. prepare for crops
    • Work the soil
    • cultivate the land
16. cause to work
    • he is working his servants hard
17. 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
18. move in an agitated manner
    • His fingers worked with tension
19. 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
20. operate in a certain place, area, or specialty
    • She works the night clubs
    • The salesman works the Midwest
    • This artist works mostly in acrylics
21. proceed along a path
    • work one's way through the crowd
    • make one's way into the forest
22. 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
23. shape, form, or improve a material
    • work stone into tools
    • process iron
    • work the metal
24. 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
25. 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
26. 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
27. 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

Noun

1. 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
2. a place where work is done
   • he arrived at work early today
3. (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
4. 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
5. the occupation for which you are paid
   • he is looking for employment
   • a lot of people are out of work
6. 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
7. activity directed toward making or doing something
   • she checked several points needing further work