n.
task
1) to do a ~
2) to take on a ~
3) a backbreaking; difficult, hard ~
4) odd ~s (he does odd ~s)
5) a ~ to + inf. (it was quite a ~ to find him = it was quite a ~ finding him = we had quite a ~ finding him)
employment
6) to get, land, take a ~
7) to hunt for, look for a ~
8) to hold, hold down a ~
9) to give up, quit; lose a ~
10) a cushy, easy, soft; demanding; menial; steady ~
11) a desk; full-time; part-time; summer ~
12) at a ~ (she was working at two ~s)
13) on the ~ (he is always on the ~) (also fig .)
criminal act
( colloq. )
14) to do , pull a ~
15) an inside ~
misc.
16) a snow ~ ( AE ) ('deceit'); to do a hatchet ~ on smb. ('to criticize smb. harshly'); a put-up ~ ('a prearranged scheme'); he really did a ~ on his opponent ('he inflicted a crushing defeat on his opponent')
USAGE NOTE: In colloq. BE . on the ~ can also mean 'having sex'.