job
1a 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.
a post of employment; full-time or part-time position: She was seeking a job as an editor.
anything a person is expected or obliged to do; duty; responsibility: It is your job to be on time.
an affair, matter, occurrence, or state of affairs: to make the best of a bad job.
the material, project, assignment, etc., being worked upon: The housing project was a long and costly job.
the process or requirements, details, etc., of working: It was a tedious job.
the execution or performance of a task: She did a good job.
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.
Slang. a theft or similar criminal action: The police caught the gang that pulled that bank job.
a public or official act or decision carried through for the sake of improper private gain.
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.
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.
to work at jobs or odd pieces of work; work by the piece.
to do business as a jobber.
to turn public business, planning, etc., improperly to private gain.
to assign or give (work, a contract for work, etc.) in separate portions, as among different contractors or workers (often followed by out): He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits.
to buy in large quantities, as from wholesalers or manufacturers, and sell to dealers in smaller quantities: He jobs shoes in Ohio and Indiana.
to get rid of or dispose of: His party jobbed him when he sought a second term in office.
to swindle or trick (someone): They jobbed him out of his property.
to carry on (public or official business) for improper private gain.
of or for a particular job or transaction.
bought, sold, or handled together: He's too big a customer to buy in less than job quantities.
Idioms about job
do a job on, Slang.
to destroy, defeat, damage, or confound thoroughly: The thugs did a job on him—he'll be in the hospital for a month.
to deceive, persuade, or charm glibly; snow.
on the job, alert; observant: The cops were on the job and caught them red-handed.
Origin of job
1synonym study For job
Other definitions for job (2 of 3)
poke; thrust; punch.
Origin of job
2Other definitions for Job (3 of 3)
the central figure in an Old Testament parable of the righteous sufferer.
a book of the Bible bearing his name.
a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “persecuted.”
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use job in a sentence
The economy has begun to add jobs, but the quality of those jobs is an increasing concern.
He said the police were good at their jobs, and were still policing every day.
Antoine, a 40-year-old DJ who works at the airport, says he fears for his children if the police stop doing their jobs.
Yes, cops are under stress and tension (though their jobs are far less dangerous than normally supposed).
In this American dream, we move where the jobs are to realize social mobility.
They can, and they will, vote themselves and their friends or adherents into the good jobs and the high places.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen LeacockThe part-time musicians had disappeared for a few hours of sleep before their usual jobs.
Fee of the Frontier | Horace Brown Fyfe"I changed paint jobs for him according to instructions," Burkey explained.
It was in this room that Delancy's get-away car had changed paint jobs, and in about ten minutes.
We would need five weeks of full production—and we couldn't possibly give it full production; we had other jobs, too.
Nine Men in Time | Noel Miller Loomis
British Dictionary definitions for job (1 of 2)
/ (dʒɒb) /
an individual piece of work or task
an occupation; post of employment
an object worked on or a result produced from working
a duty or responsibility: her job was to cook the dinner
informal a difficult task or problem: I had a job to contact him
a state of affairs: make the best of a bad job; it's a good job I saw you
informal a damaging piece of work: he really did a job on that
informal a crime, esp a robbery or burglary
informal an article or specimen: the new car was a nice little job
an instance of jobbery
computing a unit of work for a computer consisting of a single complete task submitted by a user
jobs for the boys appointments given to or created for allies or favourites
on the job
actively engaged in one's employment
British taboo engaged in sexual intercourse
just the job exactly what was required
(intr) to work by the piece or at casual jobs
to make a private profit out of (a public office, etc)
(intr usually foll by in)
to buy and sell (goods or services) as a middleman: he jobs in government surplus
British to buy and sell stocks and shares as a stockjobber: he jobs in blue chips
(tr often foll by out) to apportion (a contract, work, etc) among several contractors, workers, etc
Origin of job
1British Dictionary definitions for Job (2 of 2)
/ (dʒəʊb) /
Old Testament
a Jewish patriarch, who maintained his faith in God in spite of the afflictions sent by God to test him
the book containing Job's pleas to God under these afflictions, attempted explanations of them by his friends, and God's reply to him
any person who withstands great suffering without despairing
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for Job
[ (johb) ]
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.”
Notes for Job
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with job
see do a job on; hatchet man (job); lie down (on the job); on the job; put-up job; snow job; soft job.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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