to work
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British pronunciation
/wɜːk/

Definition & Meaning of "work"

to work
01

to do certain physical or mental activities in order to achieve a result or as a part of our job

Intransitive
to work definition and meaning
example
Example
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He's been working on his presentation for hours.
She works passionately to make a difference in the world.
1.1

to use or manage a particular thing in order to achieve something from it

Transitive: to work sth
example
Example
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He worked his connections to secure a job offer.
Licenses to work the fishing grounds in a specific area.
1.2

to cause oneself or someone else to work, particularly extremely hard

Transitive: to work sb
example
Example
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He worked himself to exhaustion trying to finish the project.
He works himself to the point of exhaustion.
02

to do a job or task, usually for a company or organization, in order to receive money

Transitive: to work for sb/sth | to work in sth | to work with sb/sth
Linking Verb: to work as sb
to work definition and meaning
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Example
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Both of my siblings work full-time jobs.
Do you like working with animals?
03

to change the form or shape of a material into a certain form or shape by hitting, stretching, squeezing, etc.

Transitive: to work sth
to work definition and meaning
example
Example
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He is working the dough to make bread.
She is working the clay to make a sculpture.
3.1

to use a particular material to produce or craft a form of art

Transitive: to work with sth | to work in sth
example
Example
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A jewelry maker working with gold to create a necklace.
A painter working in acrylics.
04

to operate or function properly

Intransitive
example
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The elevator is not working, we have to take the stairs.
The heater works by natural gas or electricity.
4.1

to cause a device, machine, etc. to be in operation

Transitive: to work sth
example
Example
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Do you know how to work the sewing machine?
He worked the lever to lift the heavy object.
05

to have the result that is desired

Intransitive
example
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His solution worked, and they resolved the problem.
The flattery does n't work on her, she sees through it.
5.1

to make efforts in order to gain something

example
Example
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She is working to improve her language skills.
The organization is working to raise awareness about the issue.
5.2

to have a specific impact

Linking Verb: to work in a specific manner
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Having a good sense of humor should work in your favor.
Loyalty works both ways in a partnership.
06

to move or pass from a particular position to another gradually or with difficulty

Complex Transitive: to work sth through sth
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Example
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I had to work my way through the crowd to get to the stage.
The bolt worked loose from the nut.
6.1

(of a part of face or body) to move violently

Intransitive
example
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He saw the ghostly figure appear before him, his mouth working as he tried to scream but no sound came out.
His face was red and his mouth was working as he struggled to control his temper.
07

to cause oneself or someone else to be in a particular emotional state

Complex Transitive: to work sb into sth
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Example
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He worked himself into a rage when he found out about the betrayal.
She worked herself into a frenzy trying to finish the project before the deadline.
7.1

to use one's persuasiveness to manipulate or influence someone's emotions or behavior

Transitive: to work sb/sth
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Example
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The movie director worked the actors to evoke the desired emotions in the scene.
The politician worked the crowd with his passionate speeches.
Work
01

activity that requires physical or mental effort

Wiki
work definition and meaning
example
Example
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He enjoys the creative work of writing poetry in his spare time.
Teamwork is essential for completing complex projects at the office.
02

something that we do regularly to earn money

work definition and meaning
example
Example
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During the summer break, she took up work as a tour guide.
He 's looking for part-time work to supplement his income.
03

a painting, piece of music or book that is produced by a painter, musician, or writer

Wiki
example
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Each work in the artist's collection tells a unique story.
Her latest work, a gripping thriller novel, is a best-seller.
04

a place where work is done

05

applying the mind to learning and understanding a subject (especially by reading)

06

(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

07

tasks, documents, or projects that a person is currently engaged in or working on

example
Example
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I have a lot of work to finish before the deadline.
She started her work early in the morning to get ahead.
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