To set to work

To set to work
Work Work (w[^u]rk), n. [OE. work, werk, weorc, AS. weorc, worc; akin to OFries. werk, wirk, OS., D., & G. werk, OHG. werc, werah, Icel. & Sw. verk, Dan. v[ae]rk, Goth. gawa['u]rki, Gr. 'e`rgon, [digamma]e`rgon, work, "re`zein to do, 'o`rganon an instrument, 'o`rgia secret rites, Zend verez to work. [root]145. Cf. {Bulwark}, {Energy}, {Erg}, {Georgic}, {Liturgy}, {Metallurgy}, {Organ}, {Orgy}, {Surgeon}, {Wright}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Exertion of strength or faculties; physical or intellectual effort directed to an end; industrial activity; toil; employment; sometimes, specifically, physical labor. [1913 Webster]

Man hath his daily work of body or mind Appointed. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. The matter on which one is at work; that upon which one spends labor; material for working upon; subject of exertion; the thing occupying one; business; duty; as, to take up one's work; to drop one's work. [1913 Webster]

Come on, Nerissa; I have work in hand That you yet know not of. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

In every work that he began . . . he did it with all his heart, and prospered. --2 Chron. xxxi. 21. [1913 Webster]

3. That which is produced as the result of labor; anything accomplished by exertion or toil; product; performance; fabric; manufacture; in a more general sense, act, deed, service, effect, result, achievement, feat. [1913 Webster]

To leave no rubs or blotches in the work. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

The work some praise, And some the architect. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Fancy . . . Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

The composition or dissolution of mixed bodies . . . is the chief work of elements. --Sir K. Digby. [1913 Webster]

4. Specifically: (a) That which is produced by mental labor; a composition; a book; as, a work, or the works, of Addison. (b) Flowers, figures, or the like, wrought with the needle; embroidery. [1913 Webster]

I am glad I have found this napkin; . . . I'll have the work ta'en out, And give 't Iago. --Shak. [1913 Webster] (c) pl. Structures in civil, military, or naval engineering, as docks, bridges, embankments, trenches, fortifications, and the like; also, the structures and grounds of a manufacturing establishment; as, iron works; locomotive works; gas works. (d) pl. The moving parts of a mechanism; as, the works of a watch. [1913 Webster]

5. Manner of working; management; treatment; as, unskillful work spoiled the effect. --Bp. Stillingfleet. [1913 Webster]

6. (Mech.) The causing of motion against a resisting force. The amount of work is proportioned to, and is measured by, the product of the force into the amount of motion along the direction of the force. See {Conservation of energy}, under {Conservation}, {Unit of work}, under {Unit}, also {Foot pound}, {Horse power}, {Poundal}, and {Erg}. [1913 Webster]

Energy is the capacity of doing work . . . Work is the transference of energy from one system to another. --Clerk Maxwell. [1913 Webster]

7. (Mining) Ore before it is dressed. --Raymond. [1913 Webster]

8. pl. (Script.) Performance of moral duties; righteous conduct. [1913 Webster]

He shall reward every man according to his works. --Matt. xvi. 27. [1913 Webster]

Faith, if it hath not works, is dead. --James ii. 17. [1913 Webster]

9. (Cricket) Break; twist. [Cant] [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

10. (Mech.) The causing of motion against a resisting force, measured by the product of the force into the component of the motion resolved along the direction of the force.

Energy is the capacity of doing work. . . . Work is the transference of energy from one system to another. --Clerk Maxwell. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

11. (Mining) Ore before it is dressed. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

{Muscular work} (Physiol.), the work done by a muscle through the power of contraction.

{To go to work}, to begin laboring; to commence operations; to contrive; to manage. ``I 'll go another way to work with him.'' --Shak.

{To set on work}, to cause to begin laboring; to set to work. [Obs.] --Hooker.

{To set to work}, to employ; to cause to engage in any business or labor. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • set to work — To employ in, or to engage energetically in, a piece of work • • • Main Entry: ↑work * * * set to work (or set someone to work) begin or cause to begin work …   Useful english dictionary

  • set to work — index employ (engage services), engage (hire), exert, exploit (make use of), hire, manipulate (utilize skillfully) …   Law dictionary

  • set to work — to start working, especially in a determined or enthusiastic way set to work on: I set to work on the mountain of paperwork on my desk. set to work (on) doing something: After lunch, they set to work fixing the roof. set to work to do something:… …   English dictionary

  • set to work — to begin doing something. They set to work bringing order to an organization that didn t even know how many computers it had. She pulled out her brushes and paper and set to work making a studio out of her hotel room …   New idioms dictionary

  • set to work on something — get/go/set/to work (on something) phrase to start doing something Let’s get to work on this right now. Thesaurus: to start doing somethingsynonym Main entry: work …   Useful english dictionary

  • set to work — verb a) To begin working. As soon as he got home, he went to his desk and set to work. b) To begin working at. Everyday he sets to work at the new assignments …   Wiktionary

  • To set at work — Set Set (s[e^]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Set}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Setting}.] [OE. setten, AS. setton; akin to OS. settian, OFries. setta, D. zetten, OHG. sezzen, G. setzen, Icel. setja, Sw. s[ a]tta, Dan. s?tte, Goth. satjan; causative from the root… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To set to work — Set Set (s[e^]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Set}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Setting}.] [OE. setten, AS. setton; akin to OS. settian, OFries. setta, D. zetten, OHG. sezzen, G. setzen, Icel. setja, Sw. s[ a]tta, Dan. s?tte, Goth. satjan; causative from the root… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To set on work — Work Work (w[^u]rk), n. [OE. work, werk, weorc, AS. weorc, worc; akin to OFries. werk, wirk, OS., D., & G. werk, OHG. werc, werah, Icel. & Sw. verk, Dan. v[ae]rk, Goth. gawa[ u]rki, Gr. e rgon, [digamma]e rgon, work, re zein to do, o rganon an… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • set to work — begin to work; indicate someone to begin to work …   English contemporary dictionary

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