English dictionary



Hint: Question mark (?) is a wildcard. Question mark substitutes one character.

English noun: work

1. work (act) activity directed toward making or doing something


SamplesShe checked several points needing further work.


Broader (hypernym)activity


Narrower (hyponym)action, aid, attention, busywork, care, coursework, duty, heavy lifting, housekeeping, housewifery, housework, investigating, investigation, ironing, job, job, labor, labor, labour, lavation, logging, loose end, make-work, mission, missionary work, nightwork, operation, paperwork, polishing, procedure, project, service, shining, social service, spadework, subbing, substituting, task, tending, timework, toil, undertaking, unfinished business, wash, washing, welfare work

2. work (artifact) a product produced or accomplished through the effort or activity or agency of a person or thing


SamplesIt 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.


Synonymspiece of work


Broader (hypernym)product, production


Narrower (hyponym)caning, chef-d'oeuvre, follow-up, followup, handcraft, handicraft, handiwork, handwork, ironwork, lacework, lacquerware, leatherwork, masterpiece, metalwork, openwork, polychrome, publication, silverwork, wicker, wickerwork, woodwork, work in progress, workpiece

3. work (act) the occupation for which you are paid


SamplesHe is looking for employment.
A lot of people are out of work.


Synonymsemployment


Broader (hypernym)business, job, line, line of work, occupation


Narrower (hyponym)booking, coaching, coaching job, engagement, ministry, navigation, paper route, piecework, public service, sailing, seafaring, service, services, telecommuting, teleworking, work load, workload

4. work (cognition) applying the mind to learning and understanding a subject (especially by reading)


SamplesMastering a second language requires a lot of work.
No schools offer graduate study in interior design.


Synonymsstudy


Broader (hypernym)acquisition, learning

5. work (phenomenon) (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


SamplesWork equals force times distance.


Broader (hypernym)energy, free energy


Domain categorynatural philosophy, physics

6. work (artifact) a place where work is done


SamplesHe arrived at work early today.


Synonymsworkplace


Broader (hypernym)geographic point, geographical point


Narrower (hyponym)bakehouse, bakery, bakeshop, beehive, brokerage, brokerage house, central, colliery, creamery, drill site, exchange, exchange, farm, fish farm, fishery, forge, gasworks, glassworks, ironworks, job, lab, laboratory, laundry, location, lumberyard, oyster bank, oyster bed, oyster park, piscary, pit, proving ground, research lab, research laboratory, rope yard, ropewalk, roundhouse, science lab, science laboratory, shipyard, shop, shop floor, smithy, studio, studio, tannery, telephone exchange, test bed, waterworks, workshop


Part holonymlocker room

7. work (artifact) the total output of a writer or artist (or a substantial part of it)


SamplesHe studied the entire Wagnerian oeuvre.
Picasso's work can be divided into periods.


Synonymsbody of work, oeuvre


Broader (hypernym)end product, output


Narrower (hyponym)writing


English verb: work

1. work (social) exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity


SamplesI will work hard to improve my grades.
She worked hard for better living conditions for the poor.


ExamplesSam and Sue work


Pattern of useSomebody ----s.
Somebody ----s PP


Narrower (hyponym)assist, beaver, beaver away, boondoggle, busy, carpenter, clerk, collaborate, cooperate, electioneer, get together, go through, intern, join forces, keep one's nose to the grindstone, keep one's shoulder to the wheel, mess around, minister, monkey, monkey around, muck about, muck around, occupy, page, peg away, plug away, potter, pull one's weight, putter, run through, scant, serve, skimp, skipper, slog, specialise, specialize, tinker, volunteer, wait, waitress, whore, work, work at, work on, work through


Verb groupdo work, work


Antonymslaze, idle, slug, stagnate

2. work (social) be employed


SamplesIs 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.


Synonymsdo work


Pattern of useSomebody ----s.
Somebody ----s PP


Narrower (hyponym)bank, blackleg, break one's back, buckle down, dig, drive, drudge, fag, farm, fill, fink, freelance, grind, job, knuckle down, labor, labour, man, moil, moonlight, occupy, rat, scab, serve, serve, slave, subcontract, take, tinker, toil, travail, turn a trick


Verb groupput to work, work, work, work

3. work (social) have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected


SamplesThe 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.


Synonymsact


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Something is ----ing PP


Broader (hypernym)bring home the bacon, come through, deliver the goods, succeed, win


Verb groupbring, make for, play, work, wreak

4. work (contact) perform as expected when applied


SamplesThe washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in.
Does this old car still run well?.
This old radio doesn't work anymore.


ExamplesThese cars won't work


Synonymsfunction, go, operate, run


Pattern of useSomething ----s


Narrower (hyponym)cut, double, roll, run, serve, service


Verb grouprun, work


Antonymsmalfunction, misfunction

5. work (creation) shape, form, or improve a material


SamplesWork stone into tools.
Process iron.
Work the metal.


Synonymsprocess, work on


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)transform, transmute, transubstantiate


Narrower (hyponym)cold work, coldwork, hot-work, make over, overwork, rack, retread, rework, till, tool


Verb groupforge, form, mold, mould, shape, work

6. work (body) give a workout to


SamplesSome parents exercise their infants.
My personal trainer works me hard.
Work one's muscles.
This puzzle will exercise your mind.


ExamplesThey work the animals


Synonymsexercise, work out


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)put to work, work


Narrower (hyponym)warm up


Causeexercise, work out


Verb groupexercise, work out

7. work (motion) proceed along a path


SamplesWork one's way through the crowd.
Make one's way into the forest.


ExamplesThey work up the hill


Synonymsmake


Pattern of useSomething is ----ing PP.
Somebody ----s PP


Broader (hypernym)go across, go through, pass


Narrower (hyponym)bushwhack, claw, jostle


Verb groupwork

8. work (social) operate in a certain place, area, or specialty


SamplesShe works the night clubs.
The salesman works the Midwest.
This artist works mostly in acrylics.


ExamplesThey work in the city


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s PP


Broader (hypernym)work


Verb groupdo work, work

9. work (social) proceed towards a goal or along a path or through an activity


SamplesWork 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.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s PP


Broader (hypernym)go, move, proceed


Verb groupmake, work

10. work (motion) move in an agitated manner


SamplesHis fingers worked with tension.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)displace, move

11. work (creation) cause to happen or to occur as a consequence


SamplesI cannot work a miracle.
Wreak havoc.
Bring comments.
Play a joke.
The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area.


Synonymsbring, make for, play, wreak


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)create, make


Verb groupact, work

12. work (social) cause to work


SamplesHe is working his servants hard.


ExamplesThey work the animals


Synonymsput to work


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)apply, employ, use, utilise, utilize


Narrower (hyponym)computerise, computerize, cybernate, exercise, exploit, overwork, rack, warm up, work, work out


Causedo work, work


Verb groupdo work, work

13. work (creation) prepare for crops


SamplesWork the soil.
Cultivate the land.


Synonymscrop, cultivate


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)fix, gear up, prepare, ready, set, set up


Narrower (hyponym)overcrop, overcultivate


Verb groupknead, work


Domain categoryagriculture, farming, husbandry

14. work (stative) behave in a certain way when handled


SamplesThis dough does not work easily.
The soft metal works well.


Pattern of useSomething ----s Adjective/Noun


Broader (hypernym)be


Verb groupknead, work

15. work (social) have and exert influence or effect


SamplesThe artist's work influenced the young painter.
She worked on her friends to support the political candidate.


Synonymsact upon, influence


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s somebody.
Something ----s somebody.
Something ----s something.
Somebody ----s PP


Broader (hypernym)affect, bear on, bear upon, impact, touch, touch on


Narrower (hyponym)blackjack, blackmail, carry, color, colour, dominate, fix, form, get at, imprint, manipulate, militate, persuade, prejudice, prepossess, pressure, pull strings, pull wires, sway, swing, swing over

16. work (social) operate in or through


SamplesWork the phones.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)operate, run


Verb groupfunction, go, operate, run, work, work

17. work (social) cause to operate or function


SamplesThis pilot works the controls.
Can you work an electric drill?.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)care, deal, handle, manage


Verb groupwork

18. work (perception) provoke or excite


SamplesThe rock musician worked the crowd of young girls into a frenzy.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s somebody.
Something ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)excite, stimulate, stir


Verb groupexploit, work, work

19. work (emotion) gratify and charm, usually in order to influence


SamplesThe political candidate worked the crowds.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s somebody.
Something ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)becharm, beguile, bewitch, captivate, capture, catch, charm, enamor, enamour, enchant, entrance, fascinate, trance


Verb groupwork

20. work (creation) make something, usually for a specific function


SamplesShe molded the rice balls carefully.
Form cylinders from the dough.
Shape a figure.
Work the metal into a sword.


Synonymsforge, form, mold, mould, shape


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s something PP


Broader (hypernym)create from raw material, create from raw stuff


Narrower (hyponym)beat, carve, cast, chip, coil, cut out, grind, hand-build, handbuild, hill, layer, machine, model, mold, mold, mould, mould, mound, preform, preform, puddle, remold, reshape, roughcast, sculpt, sculpture, sinter, stamp, swage, throw, upset


Verb groupprocess, work, work on

21. work (contact) move into or onto


SamplesWork the raisins into the dough.
The student worked a few jokes into his presentation.
Work the body onto the flatbed truck.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s PP


Broader (hypernym)displace, move


Narrower (hyponym)stir

22. work (contact) make uniform


SamplesKnead dough.
Work the clay until it is soft.


Synonymsknead


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)manipulate


Narrower (hyponym)masticate, proof


Verb groupcrop, cultivate, work, work

23. work (consumption) use or manipulate to one's advantage


SamplesHe exploit the new taxation system.
She knows how to work the system.
He works his parents for sympathy.


Synonymsexploit


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)apply, employ, use, utilise, utilize


Narrower (hyponym)avail, feed, help, make hay, play, prey, use


Verb groupwork

24. work (cognition) find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of


SamplesDid 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.


Synonymsfigure out, lick, puzzle out, solve, work out


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)understand


Narrower (hyponym)answer, answer, break, guess, infer, resolve, riddle, strike


Entailreason

25. work (change) cause to undergo fermentation


SamplesWe ferment the grapes for a very long time to achieve high alcohol content.
The vintner worked the wine in big oak vats.


Synonymsferment


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)convert


Narrower (hyponym)vinify


Causeferment, sour, turn, work


Verb groupferment, sour, turn, work

26. work (change) go sour or spoil


SamplesThe milk has soured.
The wine worked.
The cream has turned--we have to throw it out.


Synonymsferment, sour, turn


Pattern of useSomething ----s


Broader (hypernym)change state, turn


Verb groupferment, work

27. work (change) arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion


SamplesThe stitches of the hem worked loose after she wore the skirt many times.


Pattern of useSomething ----s Adjective/Noun


Broader (hypernym)become, get, go









Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
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