n.
Pronunciation: ' task
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English taske, from Middle French dialect (Picardy, Flanders) tasque, from Medieval Latin tasca tax or service imposed by a feudal superior, alteration of *taxa, from taxare to tax
Date: 14th century
1 a : a usually assigned piece of work often to be finished within a certain time b : something hard or unpleasant that has to be done c : DUTY , FUNCTION
2 : subjection to adverse criticism : REPRIMAND ― used in the expressions to take, call, or bring to task
synonyms TASK , DUTY , JOB , CHORE , STINT , ASSIGNMENT mean a piece of work to be done. TASK implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance <charged with a variety of tasks >. DUTY implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance <the duties of a lifeguard>. JOB applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance <the job of turning the company around>. CHORE implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm <every child was assigned chores >. STINT implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service <a 2-month stint as a reporter>. ASSIGNMENT implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority <a reporter's assignment >.