job

¹ American  

[job] / dʒɒb /

noun

1. a piece of work, especially a specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation or for an agreed price.

   She gave him the job of mowing the lawn.

2. a post of employment; full-time or part-time position.

   She was seeking a job as an editor.

3. anything a person is expected or obliged to do; duty; responsibility.

   It is your job to be on time.

4. an affair, matter, occurrence, or state of affairs.

   to make the best of a bad job.

5. the material, project, assignment, etc., being worked upon.

   The housing project was a long and costly job.

6. the process or requirements, details, etc., of working.

   It was a tedious job.

7. the execution or performance of a task.

   She did a good job.

8. Informal. a medical procedure or operation performed to improve the appearance of a specified part of the body (used in combination).

   a nose job; a boob job to enlarge her breasts.

9. Slang. a theft or similar criminal action.

   The police caught the gang that pulled that bank job.

10. a public or official act or decision carried through for the sake of improper private gain.

11. Slang. an example of a specific or distinctive type.

    That little six-cylinder job was the best car I ever owned.

    That guy sure is a good-looking job.

12. Computers. a unit of work for a computer, generally comprising an application program or group of related programs and the data, linkages, and instructions to the operating system needed for running the programs.

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verb (used without object)

jobbed, jobbing

1. to work at jobs or odd pieces of work; work by the piece.

2. to do business as a jobber.

3. to turn public business, planning, etc., improperly to private gain.

verb (used with object)

jobbed, jobbing

1. to assign or give (work, a contract for work, etc.) in separate portions, as among different contractors or workers (often followed byout ).

   He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits.

2. to buy in large quantities, as from wholesalers or manufacturers, and sell to dealers in smaller quantities.

   He jobs shoes in Ohio and Indiana.

3. to get rid of or dispose of.

   His party jobbed him when he sought a second term in office.

4. to swindle or trick (someone).

   They jobbed him out of his property.

5. to carry on (public or official business) for improper private gain.

adjective

1. of or for a particular job or transaction.

2. bought, sold, or handled together.

   He's too big a customer to buy in less than job quantities.

idioms

1. do a job on,

   1. to destroy, defeat, damage, or confound thoroughly.

      The thugs did a job on him—he'll be in the hospital for a month.

   2. to deceive, persuade, or charm glibly; snow.

2. on the job, alert; observant.

   The cops were on the job and caught them red-handed.

job ² American  

[job] / dʒɒb /

verb (used with or without object)

jobbed, jobbing

1. poke; thrust; punch.

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Job ³ American  

[johb] / dʒoʊb /

noun

1. the central figure in an Old Testament parable of the righteous sufferer.

2. a book of the Bible bearing his name.

3. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “persecuted.”

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job ¹ British  

/ dʒɒb /

noun

1. an individual piece of work or task

2. an occupation; post of employment

3. an object worked on or a result produced from working

4. a duty or responsibility

   her job was to cook the dinner

5. informal a difficult task or problem

   I had a job to contact him

6. a state of affairs

   make the best of a bad job

   it's a good job I saw you

7. informal a damaging piece of work

   he really did a job on that

8. informal a crime, esp a robbery or burglary

9. informal an article or specimen

   the new car was a nice little job

10. an instance of jobbery

11. computing a unit of work for a computer consisting of a single complete task submitted by a user

12. appointments given to or created for allies or favourites

13. 1. actively engaged in one's employment

    2. taboo engaged in sexual intercourse

14. exactly what was required

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verb

1. (intr) to work by the piece or at casual jobs

2. to make a private profit out of (a public office, etc)

3. 1. to buy and sell (goods or services) as a middleman

      he jobs in government surplus

   2. to buy and sell stocks and shares as a stockjobber

      he jobs in blue chips

4. to apportion (a contract, work, etc) among several contractors, workers, etc

Job ² British  

/ dʒəʊb /

noun

1. Old Testament

   1. a Jewish patriarch, who maintained his faith in God in spite of the afflictions sent by God to test him

   2. the book containing Job's pleas to God under these afflictions, attempted explanations of them by his friends, and God's reply to him

2. any person who withstands great suffering without despairing

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Job Cultural  

1. In the Old Testament, a man whose faith was severely tested by Satan, with God's permission. Job was the most prosperous and happy of men, who faithfully praised God for God's goodness. In order to get him to curse God, Satan destroyed all that Job owned, killed his children, and struck Job himself with vile sores from head to foot. False friends of Job's suggested that he should abandon his beliefs (see Job's comforters). But even in absolute misery, Job would not curse God, saying instead, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.” As a reward for his steadfast faith, God healed Job and “gave him twice as much as he had before.”

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job More Idioms  

1. see do a job on; hatchet man (job); lie down (on the job); on the job; put-up job; snow job; soft job.

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Related Words

See task. See position.

Discover More

Figuratively, any long-suffering person can be said to be “as patient as Job.”

Etymology

Origin of job¹

First recorded in 1620–30; origin uncertain

Origin of job²

First recorded in 1475–1500; late Middle English jobben “to jab, thrust, peck, poke”; further origin uncertain

Example Sentences

A 91-year-old lollipop man from Greater Manchester is completing his final crossing after 28 years on the job.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Investors were reacting to more signs that the Trump administration is looking to wind down operations in Iran, as well as stronger-than-expected economic data that pointed to resilient consumer spending and job growth.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

The CEO, a Nike veteran who came out of retirement to take the top job in October 2024, has called China “the longest road ahead” in the company’s efforts to revive growth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

This condition can interfere with concentration, job performance, and safety.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

Losing this job would only mean having to move back to my parents’ house in Baltimore.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

• activity
• appointment
• assignment
• business
• career
• office
• operation
• place
• position
• post
• profession
• situation
• spot
• stint
• task
• trade
• work