work
/wə:k/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- Activity involving mental or physical effort done to achieve a purpose or result: "Work" refers to tasks, duties, or labor performed, often for payment or to produce something.
- A task or tasks to be undertaken: "Work" can denote a specific piece of labor or a project.
- A place of employment: "Work" is also used to refer to the location where one is employed.
- Something produced as a result of effort, such as an artistic or literary creation: "Work" can mean an artifact, a product, or a piece of art.
- (Physics) The transfer of energy when a force moves an object: In science, "work" is a measurable quantity of energy transfer.
Verb:
- To engage in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a purpose: The most common meaning, involving exertion or effort.
- To be employed; to have a job: "Work" means to have regular paid employment.
- To function or operate correctly: "Work" describes a machine, system, or plan functioning as intended.
- To have a desired effect or outcome: "Work" can mean to be effective or successful.
- To shape, form, or process a material: "Work" involves manipulating a substance, like clay or metal.
- To move or progress gradually into a particular state or position: "Work" can describe a slow, deliberate movement or change.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- She has a lot of work to finish before the deadline. (Activity/Effort)
- He is looking for work in the tech industry. (Employment)
- I'll meet you after work. (Place of employment)
- This sculpture is her greatest work. (Artistic creation)
- The engine does the work of moving the car. (Physics)
Verb:
- They work hard to provide for their family. (Engage in activity)
- She works as a software engineer. (Is employed)
- My phone isn't working properly. (Functioning)
- Did the medicine work? (Have the desired effect)
- The potter worked the clay on the wheel. (Shape a material)
- The screw has worked itself loose. (Moved gradually)
Advanced Usage
"to work one's way": to progress slowly or with effort through something.
- He worked his way through college. (He paid for college by working.)
- We worked our way through the dense crowd. (We moved slowly through it.)
"to work on someone/something": to try to influence someone or to spend time improving/repairing something.
- She's working on her boss to approve the project. (Trying to persuade)
- The mechanic is working on my car. (Repairing)
"to work out": to exercise; to find a solution; to develop in a certain way.
- I work out at the gym three times a week. (Exercise)
- Let's work out a plan. (Devise a solution)
- I hope everything works out for you. (Develops successfully)
Variants and Related Words
Worker (n): A person who works.
- The workers went on strike.
Workable (adj): Capable of being worked, shaped, or solved; practical.
- We need a workable solution.
Workforce (n): The people engaged in or available for work.
- The company's workforce is highly skilled.
Workload (n): The amount of work to be done.
- Her workload this month is very heavy.
Synonyms
- Labor (n/v): Work, especially hard physical work.
- Toil (n/v): Exhausting work.
- Function (v): To operate or work.
- Employment (n): Work, especially in the context of having a job.
- Operate (v): To function or control the functioning of something.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Work up: To develop or excite.
- He worked up the courage to ask her out. (Developed)
- The speaker worked up the crowd. (Excited)
Work through: To deal with a problem or emotion gradually.
- It took years to work through the grief. (Process)
Work over: (Informal) To beat someone up; to examine or redo something thoroughly.
- The thieves worked him over and took his wallet. (Beat up)
- The editor worked over the manuscript. (Examined/Revised thoroughly)
Related Idioms
All in a day's work: A normal part of one's job or routine, even if difficult.
- Dealing with difficult customers is all in a day's work for her.
Work like a charm: To function perfectly or be completely successful.
- The new software works like a charm.
Work one's fingers to the bone: To work extremely hard.
- She worked her fingers to the bone to build the business.
Make short work of: To finish or deal with something quickly and easily.
- He made short work of the large meal. (Ate it quickly)
Verb
- arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion
- The stitches of the hem worked loose after she wore the skirt many times
- go sour or spoil
- The milk has soured
- The wine worked
- The cream has turned--we have to throw it out
- cause to undergo fermentation
- We ferment the grapes for a very long time to achieve high alcohol content
- The vintner worked the wine in big oak vats
- find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
- did you solve the problem?
- Work out your problems with the boss
- this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out
- did you get it?
- Did you get my meaning?
- He could not work the math problem
- use or manipulate to one's advantage
- He exploit the new taxation system
- She knows how to work the system
- he works his parents for sympathy
- make uniform
- knead dough
- work the clay until it is soft
- move into or onto
- work the raisins into the dough
- the student worked a few jokes into his presentation
- work the body onto the flatbed truck
- make something, usually for a specific function
- She molded the rice balls carefully
- Form cylinders from the dough
- shape a figure
- Work the metal into a sword
- gratify and charm, usually in order to influence
- the political candidate worked the crowds
- provoke or excite
- The rock musician worked the crowd of young girls into a frenzy
- cause to operate or function
- This pilot works the controls
- Can you work an electric drill?
- operate in or through
- Work the phones
- have and exert influence or effect
- The artist's work influenced the young painter
- She worked on her friends to support the political candidate
- behave in a certain way when handled
- This dough does not work easily
- The soft metal works well
- prepare for crops
- Work the soil
- cultivate the land
- cause to work
- he is working his servants hard
- cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
- I cannot work a miracle
- wreak havoc
- bring comments
- play a joke
- The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area
- move in an agitated manner
- His fingers worked with tension
- proceed towards a goal or along a path or through an activity
- work your way through every problem or task
- She was working on her second martini when the guests arrived
- Start from the bottom and work towards the top
- operate in a certain place, area, or specialty
- She works the night clubs
- The salesman works the Midwest
- This artist works mostly in acrylics
- proceed along a path
- work one's way through the crowd
- make one's way into the forest
- give a workout to
- Some parents exercise their infants
- My personal trainer works me hard
- work one's muscles
- this puzzle will exercise your mind
- shape, form, or improve a material
- work stone into tools
- process iron
- work the metal
- perform as expected when applied
- The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in
- Does this old car still run well?
- This old radio doesn't work anymore
- have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected
- The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought
- How does your idea work in practice?
- This method doesn't work
- The breaks of my new car act quickly
- The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water
- be employed
- Is your husband working again?
- My wife never worked
- Do you want to work after the age of 60?
- She never did any work because she inherited a lot of money
- She works as a waitress to put herself through college
- exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
- I will work hard to improve my grades
- she worked hard for better living conditions for the poor
Noun
- the total output of a writer or artist (or a substantial part of it)
- he studied the entire Wagnerian oeuvre
- Picasso's work can be divided into periods
- a place where work is done
- he arrived at work early today
- (physics) a manifestation of energy; the transfer of energy from one physical system to another expressed as the product of a force and the distance through which it moves a body in the direction of that force
- work equals force times distance
- applying the mind to learning and understanding a subject (especially by reading)
- mastering a second language requires a lot of work
- no schools offer graduate study in interior design
- the occupation for which you are paid
- he is looking for employment
- a lot of people are out of work
- a product produced or accomplished through the effort or activity or agency of a person or thing
- it is not regarded as one of his more memorable works
- the symphony was hailed as an ingenious work
- he was indebted to the pioneering work of John Dewey
- the work of an active imagination
- erosion is the work of wind or water over time
- activity directed toward making or doing something
- she checked several points needing further work