work*/*/*/

[wɜːk] verb I

1) to have a job

Dominic works part-time.[/ex]

She works for a big law firm in the city.[/ex]

She worked as a journalist.[/ex]

I hope to work in marketing when I'm older.[/ex]

2) [I] to spend time and use effort trying to achieve something

I've been working in the garden all day.[/ex]

Our thanks go to everybody who has worked on this project.[/ex]

He worked tirelessly to improve safety conditions in the mines.[/ex]

3) [I] to operate in a satisfactory way

The new telephone system seems to be working perfectly.[/ex]

This pen doesn't work.[/ex]

My brain's not working very well today.[/ex]

4) [I] to succeed, or to have a particular effect

If this plan doesn't work, we'll have to think of something else.[/ex]

The drug works by blocking the spread of the virus.[/ex]

Criticizing your former employer usually works against you in an interview.[/ex]

The new tax system is working in the company's favour.[/ex]

5) [T] to operate a piece of equipment

I don't know how to work this thing.[/ex]

6) [I/T] to move gradually, or to move something gradually

He managed to work one hand free of the rope.[/ex]

•

- work at sth

- work on sth

- work out

- work sth out

- work sb/sth out

- work up to sth

II

noun

work */*/*/[wɜːk]

1) [U] a job that you are paid to do

It's not easy to find work (= get a job).[/ex]

I started work (= got my first job) when I was 16.[/ex]

She's been out of work (= unemployed) for over a year.[/ex]

2) [U] activity that involves physical or mental effort

I know you've got a lot of work to do.[/ex]

Thank you for all your hard work.[/ex]

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

I walk to work and take the bus home.[/ex]

4) [C/U] something that someone makes or does

As a writer, she did some of her best work in her late twenties.[/ex]

It's not the best piece of work you've ever done.[/ex]

works of literature[/ex]

5) [C/U] the activity of repairing or building something

The road has been closed for emergency repair works.[/ex]

•

at work — 1) at the place where you work[/ex]

[i]If he's not at home, he must still be at work.[/ex]

— 2) in the process of doing or making something

She's currently at work on a new book.[/ex]

get/go/set to work (on sth) — to start doing something[/ex]

Let's get to work on finding a solution to the problem.[/ex]

have your work cut out — to have something difficult that you have to do[/ex]

make short work of sth — to deal with something quickly and easily[/ex]

work of art — 1) something such as a painting or sculpture that an artist produces; 2) something that is done in a very skilful or impressive way[/ex]

See:

dirty I

■ You can refer to what someone does in order to get paid as their work or their job: Do you find your work OR your job interesting? ♦ What kind of work OR job does he do? ■ Work is uncountable with this meaning, so it never has a in front of it and is never plural: He's looking for work. ♦ It's fascinating work. ♦ Has he found a job? ♦ She has had many different jobs.