ˈwərkər; ˈwə̄kə(r, ˈwəik- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English worcher, werker, from worchen, werken to work + -er
1. : doer , creator
worker of miracles
worker of magic spells
2.
a. : laborer , toiler
workers in the Lord's vineyard
migratory workers in the orchards
b. : one who is employed especially at manual or industrial labor for a wage
rate increases for all the workers in the steel industry
c. : one who works in a particular field
workers in cancer research
or industry or with a particular material — often used in combination
d. : a member of the working class
party of workers and small farmers
3. : one of the neuter usually sterile individuals of the social ants, bees, and termites — see ant illustration, honeybee illustration
4.
a. : a 2-handled scraping knife used in dressing leather
b. : a bobbin that moves across the pillow forming the pattern in bobbin lace — compare hanger 5
c. : any of various small rollers or cylinders in a textile machine (as a fearnought or carder) that has wire teeth set at such an angle as to draw the fiber bodily away from the large cylinder — compare stripper 5
5. or worker plate : a usually electrotype plate from which printing is done — compare caster 1b
6.
a. : one who works for a political party or party machine especially to get out the vote
b. : social worker
7. : working fire