work / wərk/ • n. 1. activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result: he was tired after a day's work in the fields. ∎  (works) [in comb.] a place or premises for industrial activity, typically manufacturing: he found a job in the ironworks. 2. such activity as a means of earning income; employment: I'm still looking for work. ∎  the place where one engages in such activity: I was returning home from work on a packed subway. ∎  the period of time spent during the day engaged in such activity: he was going to the theater after work.3. a task or tasks to be undertaken; something a person or thing has to do: they made sure the work was progressing smoothly. ∎  the materials for this: she frequently took work home with her. ∎  (works) Theol. good or moral deeds: the Clapham sect was concerned with works rather than with faith.4. something done or made: her work hangs in all the main American collections. ∎  the result of the action of a specified person or thing: the bombing had been the work of a German-based cell. ∎  a literary or musical composition or other piece of fine art: a work of fiction. ∎  (works) all such pieces by a particular author, composer, or artist, regarded collectively: the works of Schubert fill several feet of shelf space. ∎  a piece of embroidery, sewing, or knitting, typically made using a specified stitch or method. ∎  (usu. works) Mil. a defensive structure. ∎  (works) an architectural or engineering structure such as a bridge or dam. ∎  the record of the successive calculations made in solving a mathematical problem: show your work on a separate sheet of paper.5. (works) the operative part of a clock or other machine: she could almost hear the tick of its works.6. Physics the exertion of force overcoming resistance or producing molecular change.7. (the works) inf. everything needed, desired, or expected: the heavens put on a show: sheet lightning, hailstones—the works.• v. (past worked or archaic wrought / rôt/ ) [intr.] 1. be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a purpose or result, esp. in one's job; do work: an engineer who had been working on a design for a more efficient wing | new contracts forcing employees to work longer hours. ∎  be employed, typically in a specified occupation or field: Taylor has worked in education for 17 years. ∎  (work in) (of an artist) produce articles or pictures using (a particular material or medium): he works in clay over a very strong frame. ∎  [tr.] produce (an article or design) using a specified material or sewing stitch: the castle itself is worked in tent stitch. ∎  [tr.] set to or keep at work: Jane is working you too hard. ∎  [tr.] cultivate (land) or extract materials from (a mine or quarry): contracts and leases to work the mines. ∎  [tr.] solve (a puzzle or mathematical problem): she spent her days working crosswords. ∎  [tr.] practice one's occupation or operate in or at (a particular place): I worked a few clubs and so forth. ∎  make efforts to achieve something; campaign: we spend a great deal of our time working for the lacto-vegetarian cause.2. (of a machine or system) operate or function, esp. properly or effectively: his cell phone doesn't work unless he goes to a high point. ∎  (of a machine or a part of it) run; go through regular motions: it's designed to go into a special “rest” state when it's not working. ∎  (esp. of a person's features) move violently or convulsively: hair wild, mouth working furiously. ∎  [tr.] cause (a device or machine) to operate: teaching customers how to work a VCR. ∎  (of a plan or method) have the desired result or effect: the desperate ploy had worked. ∎  [tr.] bring about; produce as a result: with a dash of blusher here and there, you can work miracles. ∎  [tr.] inf. arrange or contrive: the chairman was prepared to work it for Phillip if he was interested. ∎  (work on/upon) exert influence or use one's persuasive power on (someone or their feelings): she worked upon the sympathy of her associates. ∎  [tr.] use one's persuasive power to stir the emotions of (a person or group of people): the born politician's art of working a crowd.3. [tr.] bring (a material or mixture) to a desired shape or consistency by hammering, kneading, or some other method: work the mixture into a paste with your hands. ∎  bring into a specified state, esp. an emotional state: Harold had worked himself into a minor rage.4. move or cause to move gradually or with difficulty into another position, typically by means of constant movement or pressure: [tr.] comb from tip to root, working out the knots at the end | [intr.] its stanchion bases were already working loose. ∎  (of joints, such as those in a wooden ship) loosen and flex under repeated stress. ∎  Sailing make progress to windward, with repeated tacking: trying to work to windward in light airs.PHRASES: at work engaged in work. ∎  in action: researchers were convinced that one infectious agent was at work.give someone the works inf. treat someone harshly. ∎  kill someone.have one's work cut out be faced with a hard or lengthy task.in the works being planned, worked on, or produced.out of work unemployed.set to work (or set someone to work) begin or cause to begin work.the work of —— a task occupying a specified amount of time: it was the work of a moment to discover the tiny stab wound.work one's ass (butt, etc.) off vulgar slang work extremely hard.work one's fingers to the bonesee bone.work one's passage pay for one's journey on a ship with work instead of money.work one's way through college (or school, etc.) obtain the money for educational fees or one's maintenance as a student by working.work one's will on/upon accomplish one's purpose on: she set a coiffeur to work his will on her hair.work wonderssee wonder.PHRASAL VERBS: work something in include or incorporate something, typically in something spoken or written.work something off1. discharge a debt by working.2. reduce or get rid of something by work or activity: one of those gimmicks for working off aggression.work out1. (of an equation) be capable of being solved. ∎  (work out at) be calculated at: the losses work out at $2.94 a share.2. have a good or specified result: things don't always work out that way.3. engage in vigorous physical exercise or training, typically at a gym.work someone out understand someone's character.work something out1. solve a sum or determine an amount by calculation. ∎  solve or find the answer to something: I couldn't work out whether it was a band playing or a record.2. plan or devise something in detail: work out a seating plan.3. poetic/lit. accomplish or attain something with difficulty: malicious fates are bent on working out an ill intent.4. (usu. be worked out) work a mine until it is exhausted of minerals.5. another way of saying work something off above.work someone over inf. treat someone with violence; beat someone severely: the cops had worked him over a little just for the fun of it.work through go through a process of understanding and accepting (a painful or difficult situation): they should be allowed to feel the pain and work through their emotions.work to follow or operate within the constraints of (a plan or system): working to tight deadlines.work up to proceed gradually toward (something more advanced or intense): the course starts with landing technique, working up to jumps from an enclosed platform.work someone up (often get worked up) gradually bring someone, esp. oneself, to a state of intense excitement, anger, or anxiety: he got all worked up and started shouting and swearing.work something up1. bring something gradually to a more complete or satisfactory state: painters were accustomed to working up compositions from drawings.2. develop or produce by activity or effort: despite the cold, George had already worked up a fair sweat.DERIVATIVES: work·less adj.ORIGIN: Old English weorc (noun), wyrcan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch werk and German Werk, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek ergon.