(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is the work that someone does to earn money.
Once I’m in America I can get a ~...
Thousands have lost their ~s...
I felt the pressure of being the first woman in the ~.
...overseas ~ vacancies.
N-COUNT
2.
A ~ is a particular task.
He said he hoped that the ~ of putting together a coalition wouldn’t take too much time...
N-COUNT: usu with supp, oft N of n, n N
3.
The ~ of a particular person or thing is their duty or function.
Their main ~ is to preserve health rather than treat illness...
Drinking a lot helps the kidneys do their ~.
N-COUNT: usu with poss
4.
If you say that someone is doing a good ~, you mean that they are doing something well. In British English, you can also say that they are making a good ~ of something.
We could do a far better ~ of managing it than they have...
N-SING: usu adj N, oft N of -ing/n
5.
If you say that you have a ~ doing something, you are emphasizing how difficult it is.
He may have a hard ~ selling that argument to investors...
N-SING: usu N -ing, N to-inf emphasis
6.
see also ~bing , day ~ , hatchet ~ , on-the-~
7.
If you refer to work as ~s for the boys, you mean that the work is unfairly given to someone’s friends, supporters, or relations, even though they may not be the best qualified people to do it. (BRIT)
PHRASE disapproval
8.
If you say that something is just the ~, you mean that it is exactly what you wanted or needed. (BRIT INFORMAL)
Not only is it just the ~ for travelling, but it’s handy for groceries too.
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR
9.
If someone is on the ~, they are actually doing a particular ~ or task.
The top pay scale after five years on the ~ would reach $5.00 an hour...
PHRASE
10.
it’s a good ~: see good
the ~ in hand: see hand