WORK


Meaning of WORK in English

■ noun

1》 activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a result.

2》 such activity as a means of earning income.

↘ W. Indian a job.

3》 a task or tasks to be undertaken.

↘the materials for this.

↘( ~s ) chiefly Brit. activity involving construction or repair.

↘( ~s ) Theology good or moral deeds.

4》 a thing or things done or made; the result of an action.

↘( ~s ) the complete artistic production of a particular author, composer, or artist.

5》 ( ~s ) [treated as sing. ] chiefly Brit. a place where industrial or manufacturing processes are carried out.

6》 (usu. ~s ) Military a defensive structure.

7》 ( ~s ) the mechanism of a clock or other machine.

8》 Physics the exertion of force overcoming resistance or producing molecular change.

9》 ( the ~s ) informal everything needed, desired, or expected.

■ verb ( past and past participle ~ed or archaic wrought )

1》 do ~, especially as one's job.

↘have a job.

↘set to or keep at ~.

2》 (of a machine or system) function, especially properly or effectively.

↘(with reference to a machine) be or cause to be in operation.

3》 have the desired result.

↘bring about.

↘campaign.

↘( ~ on/upon ) exert influence on.

4》 bring (a material or mixture) to a desired shape or consistency.

↘( ~ in ) produce articles or pictures using (a particular material or medium).

↘produce (an article or design) using a specified material or sewing stitch.

↘cultivate (land) or extract materials from (a mine or quarry).

5》 move gradually or with difficulty into another position.

↘(of a person's features) move violently or convulsively.

6》 bring into a specified emotional state: Harold had ~ed himself into a rage.

7》 Sailing make progress to windward, with repeated tacking.

Phrases

give someone the ~s informal

1》 tell someone everything.

2》 treat someone harshly or violently.

have one's ~ cut out be faced with a hard or lengthy task.

in the ~s being planned, ~ed on, or produced.

~ to rule chiefly Brit. follow official ~ing rules and hours exactly in order to reduce output and efficiency, especially as a form of industrial action.

~ one's passage see passage .

Phrasal verbs

~ something in try to include something.

~ something off

1》 discharge a debt by ~ing.

2》 reduce or eliminate something by activity.

~ out

1》 be capable of being solved.

2》 develop in a good or specified way.

3》 engage in vigorous physical exercise.

~ out at be calculated at.

~ someone out understand someone's character.

~ something out

1》 solve something.

2》 plan something in detail.

~ someone over informal beat someone up.

~ up to proceed gradually towards (something more advanced).

~ someone up (often get ~ed up ) gradually bring someone, especially oneself, to a state of intense excitement, anger, or anxiety.

~ something up

1》 develop or improve something gradually.

2》 develop by activity or effort.

Derivatives

~less adjective

Origin

OE weorc (n.), wyrcan (v.), of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.