the works
Idioms-
Everything, the full range of possibilities, as in He ordered a pizza with the works , or All right, tell me, give me the works on it . This usage derives from works in the sense of “a complete set of parts for a machine or mechanism.” [ Colloquial ; late 1800s]
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A beating or other severe treatment. This usage is often put as give someone the works , as in They took him outside and gave him the works . [ Slang ; first half of 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The move may signal that criminal charges are in the works — but the county has ways to fight back.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
Before his casting as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” he had spent decades as a classical theater performer in Britain, especially in the works of Shakespeare.
From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026
India's foreign ministry also said both sides welcomed progress in trade negotiations and reaffirmed their commitment to concluding a deal, which has long been in the works.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
“Wildwood” is Laika’s first new film in seven years and has been in the works since 2011.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
He read and reread the works of Stephen Potter—the English writer who coined the terms one-upmanship and gamesmanship—not as social satire but as a manual of practical stratagems.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
