(~s)
1.
A system or service that is ~ is working or having an effect. (FORMAL)
The commercial telephone service was no longer ~...
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
2.
An ~ is a worker, especially one who does work with their hands. (FORMAL)
In an automated car plant there is not a human ~ to be seen.
N-COUNT
3.
An ~ is someone who works for a government agency such as the intelligence service. (mainly AM)
Naturally the CIA wants to protect its ~s.
N-COUNT
4.
If you describe a word as the ~ word, you want to draw attention to it because you think it is important or exactly true in a particular situation.
As long as the ~ word is ‘greed’, you can’t count on people keeping the costs down...
PHRASE: N inflects