Work

Work
Work Work (w[^u]rk), v. t. 1. To labor or operate upon; to give exertion and effort to; to prepare for use, or to utilize, by labor. [1913 Webster]

He could have told them of two or three gold mines, and a silver mine, and given the reason why they forbare to work them at that time. --Sir W. Raleigh. [1913 Webster]

2. To produce or form by labor; to bring forth by exertion or toil; to accomplish; to originate; to effect; as, to work wood or iron into a form desired, or into a utensil; to work cotton or wool into cloth. [1913 Webster]

Each herb he knew, that works or good or ill. --Harte. [1913 Webster]

3. To produce by slow degrees, or as if laboriously; to bring gradually into any state by action or motion. ``Sidelong he works his way.'' --Milton. [1913 Webster]

So the pure, limpid stream, when foul with stains Of rushing torrents and descending rains, Works itself clear, and as it runs, refines, Till by degrees the floating mirror shines. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

4. To influence by acting upon; to prevail upon; to manage; to lead. ``Work your royal father to his ruin.'' --Philips. [1913 Webster]

5. To form with a needle and thread or yarn; especially, to embroider; as, to work muslin. [1913 Webster]

6. To set in motion or action; to direct the action of; to keep at work; to govern; to manage; as, to work a machine. [1913 Webster]

Knowledge in building and working ships. --Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster]

Now, Marcus, thy virtue's the proof; Put forth thy utmost strength, work every nerve. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

The mariners all 'gan work the ropes, Where they were wont to do. --Coleridge. [1913 Webster]

7. To cause to ferment, as liquor. [1913 Webster]

{To work a passage} (Naut.), to pay for a passage by doing work.

{To work double tides} (Naut.), to perform the labor of three days in two; -- a phrase which alludes to a practice of working by the night tide as well as by the day.

{To work in}, to insert, introduce, mingle, or interweave by labor or skill.

{To work into}, to force, urge, or insinuate into; as, to work one's self into favor or confidence.

{To work off}, to remove gradually, as by labor, or a gradual process; as, beer works off impurities in fermenting.

{To work out}. (a) To effect by labor and exertion. ``Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.'' --Phil. ii. 12. (b) To erase; to efface. [R.] [1913 Webster]

Tears of joy for your returning spilt, Work out and expiate our former guilt. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] (c) To solve, as a problem. (d) To exhaust, as a mine, by working.

{To work up}. (a) To raise; to excite; to stir up; as, to work up the passions to rage. [1913 Webster]

The sun, that rolls his chariot o'er their heads, Works up more fire and color in their cheeks. --Addison. [1913 Webster] (b) To expend in any work, as materials; as, they have worked up all the stock. (c) (Naut.) To make over or into something else, as yarns drawn from old rigging, made into spun yarn, foxes, sennit, and the like; also, to keep constantly at work upon needless matters, as a crew in order to punish them. --R. H. Dana, Jr. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • work — [wʉrk] n. [ME werk < OE weorc, akin to Ger werk < IE base * werĝ , to do, act > Gr ergon (for * wergon), action, work, organon, tool, instrument] 1. physical or mental effort exerted to do or make something; purposeful activity; labor;… …   English World dictionary

  • 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,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Work — may refer to: Human labor: Employment House work Labor (economics), measure of the work done by human beings Manual labor, physical work done by people Wage labor, in which a worker sells their labor and an employer buys it Work (project… …   Wikipedia

  • work — n 1 Work, labor, travail, toil, drudgery, grind are comparable when they mean effort or exertion directed to the accomplishment of an end, or an employment or activity which involves such expenditure of effort or exertion. Work is the most… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • work — ► NOUN 1) activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a result. 2) such activity as a means of earning income. 3) a task or tasks to be undertaken. 4) a thing or things done or made; the result of an action. 5) (works)… …   English terms dictionary

  • Work — (w[^u]rk), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Worked} (w[^u]rkt), or {Wrought} (r[add]t); p. pr. & vb. n. {Working}.] [AS. wyrcean (imp. worthe, wrohte, p. p. geworht, gewroht); akin to OFries. werka, wirka, OS. wirkian, D. werken, G. wirken, Icel. verka,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • work — [n1] labor, chore assignment, attempt, commission, daily grind*, drudge, drudgery, effort, elbow grease*, endeavor, exertion, functioning, grind, grindstone*, industry, job, moil, muscle, obligation, pains*, performance, production, push, salt… …   New thesaurus

  • Work — Título Charlot, empapelador o Carlitos empapelador o Charlot trabaja Ficha técnica Dirección Charles Chaplin …   Wikipedia Español

  • Work It — «Work It» Sencillo de Nelly y Justin Timberlake del álbum Nellyville Formato Disco compacto Género(s) Rap Duración 4:22 …   Wikipedia Español

  • work it — informal phrase to arrange for something to happen I’ll try and work it so we can leave early today. Thesaurus: to make plans or arrangementssynonym Main entry: work * * * ˈwork it/things …   Useful english dictionary

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