work */*/*/

I UK [wɜː(r)k] / US [wɜrk] verb
Word forms "work":
present tense I/you/we/they work he/she/it works present participle working past tense worked past participle worked

1) [intransitive] to spend time trying to achieve something, especially when this involves using a lot of effort

I've been working in the garden all day.

work on:

Our thanks go to everybody who has worked on this project.

work to do something:

He worked tirelessly to improve safety conditions in the mines.

a) [transitive] to make someone work

She always works us too hard.

b) [intransitive] to produce a picture or create an object using a particular type of substance

work in/with:

He works in oils and acrylics, painting mostly landscapes.

2)

a) [intransitive] to have a job, usually one that you are paid to do

Dominic works part-time.

work in:

I hope to work in marketing when I'm older.

work as:

She worked as a journalist.

work with:

All our nursery nurses are qualified to work with children.

work for:

She works for a big law firm in the city.

b) [transitive] if you work a particular area or type of place, you go to that area or to those places as part of your job, for example to try and sell things or to perform there

He worked the clubs long before TV made him famous.

3)

a) [intransitive] to operate in a satisfactory way

The new telephone system seems to be working perfectly.

This pen doesn't work.

My brain's not working very well today.

b) [transitive] to operate something such as a machine or piece of equipment

I don't know how to work this thing.

4)

a) [intransitive] to succeed

If this plan doesn't work, we'll think of something else.

The strategy seems to be working.

b) to have a particular effect or result

The drug works by blocking the spread of the virus.

Her dazzling performance worked its magic on the audience (= had a good effect on them).

work for/against someone (= have a good/bad result):

Criticizing your former employer works against you in an interview.

work in someone's favour/work to someone's advantage (= be an advantage to someone):

The exchange rate is currently working in the company's favour.

5)

a) [intransitive/transitive] to move gradually from one position to another

The strap of one of her sandals had worked itself loose.

b) [transitive] to put something into a different position or state

She managed to work one hand free.

work yourself into something:

He was slowly working himself into a panic.

6) [transitive] to shape a substance such as metal in a particular way, especially using tools

7) [transitive] if someone works a mine or a quarry, they dig substances such as gold or stone out of it

8) [transitive] to prepare land and grow crops on it

9) [transitive] maths American to solve a problem in mathematics by doing a calculation

•

work your way through college/university — to have a job when you are at college/university in order to help to pay for your studies

- work both ways

- work for someone

- work it

- work like magic

- work the system

- work a treat

- work your butt off

- work your fingers to the bone

- work your socks off

- work your way

Phrasal verbs:

- work around

- work around to

- work at

- work in

- work off

- work on

- work out

- work over

- work through

- work towards

- work up

- work up to

See:

sock I, wonder II

II UK [wɜː(r)k] / US [wɜrk] noun
Word forms "work":
singular work plural works

Get it right: work:

In most of its meanings, work is an uncountable noun, and so: ▪  it rarely comes after a or a number ▪  it is rarely used in the plural
Wrong: It is very common for university students to get a part-time work.
Right: It is very common for university students to get part-time work.
Wrong: They want to relax after the pressure of their works.
Right: They want to relax after the pressure of their work.  
Q: What is the difference between work and job?
A: Work refers in general to things people do to earn money. Job is used when you are referring to the particular thing that someone does regularly in order to earn money: Mr Biswas goes to Port of Spain to look for work. By chance he gets a job on a newspaper.
Work can be a countable noun when it means "something produced by a writer, painter, musician, or other artist": Copying from the works of the Great Masters was one of a young art student's most important tasks. This opera is indeed a work of great dramatic intensity.

1) [uncountable] activity that involves physical or mental effort

I know you've got a lot of work to do.

Thank you for all your hard work.

2) [uncountable] a job that someone is paid to do

I started work when I was sixteen.

It's not easy to find work (= get a job).

a) the things that you do as part of your job

Her work will include planting trees and caring for animals.

Employees may take work home if they wish.

b) the time that someone spends doing their job

We rehearse for a few hours every day after work.

3)

a) [uncountable] a place where someone goes to do their job

I walk to work and take the bus home.

b) works

[plural] a factory

4)

a) [uncountable] something that someone makes or does in their job

Carol and her subcommittee did some nice work on the document.

piece of work:

It's not the best piece of work you've ever done.

b) [countable/uncountable] something produced by a writer, painter, musician, or other artist

Our final-year students invite you to an exhibition of their work.

work of:

This is a minor but moving work of literature.

a study of the life and works of Baudelaire

5) [uncountable/plural] the repairing and building of something. You can also talk about works, and this has the same meaning

The road has been closed for emergency repair works.

There will be no disruption of traffic when the work is carried out.

6) [uncountable] physics the process of changing energy from one form into another, usually in order to make something move or operate

7) [uncountable] cosmetic surgery

I think she's had some work done.

•

get/go/set to work (on something) — to start doing something

Let's get to work on this right now.

have your work cut out (for you) — to have a difficult job to do

We'll have our work cut out for us if we want to maintain sales at this level.

make short/light/quick work of someone — to defeat an opponent quickly and easily

make short/light/quick work of something — to deal with or get rid of something quickly and easily

You made short work of that sandwich!

the (whole) works — informal everything

They ordered porridge, kippers, eggs, and bacon – the works.

They've got guns, grenades, rockets, the whole works.

- all work and no play

- at work

- in work

- in the works

- out of work

See:

day, dirty I, nasty, spanner, work of art