work

employment, as in some form of industry, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood: to look for work.

one's place of employment: Don't phone him at work.

something on which exertion or labor is expended; a task or undertaking: The students finished their work in class.

materials, things, etc., on which one is working or is to work.

the result of exertion, labor, or activity; a deed or performance.

a product of exertion, labor, or activity: musical works.

Often works. an engineering structure, as a building or bridge.

a building, wall, trench, or the like, constructed or made as a means of fortification.

works,

Physics. force times the distance through which it acts; specifically, the transference of energy equal to the product of the component of a force that acts in the direction of the motion of the point of application of the force and the distance through which the point of application moves.

the works, Informal.

to be in operation, as a machine: The water should not be disconnected while the pump is working.

to act or operate effectively: We all agree that this plan works.

to attain a specified condition, as by repeated movement: The nails worked loose.

to have an effect or influence, as on a person or on the mind or feelings of a person.

to move in agitation, as the features under strong emotion.

to make way with effort or under stress: The ship works to windward.

Nautical. to give slightly at the joints, as a vessel under strain at sea.

Machinery. to move improperly, as from defective fitting of parts or from wear.

to undergo treatment by labor in a given way: This dough works slowly.

to ferment, as a liquid.

a duty, task, or undertaking

something done, made, etc, as a result of effort or exertion: a work of art

materials or tasks on which to expend effort or exertion

another word for workmanship (def. 3)

the place, office, etc, where a person is employed

any piece of material that is undergoing a manufacturing operation or process; workpiece

an engineering structure such as a bridge, building, etc

physics the transfer of energy expressed as the product of a force and the distance through which its point of application moves in the direction of the force: Abbreviation: W, w

a structure, wall, etc, built or used as part of a fortification system

at work

make short work of informal to handle or dispose of very quickly

(modifier) of, relating to, or used for work: work clothes; a work permit

(tr) to carry on operations, activity, etc, in (a place or area): that salesman works the southern region

(tr) to cause to labour or toil: he works his men hard

to operate or cause to operate, esp properly or effectively: to work a lathe; that clock doesn't work

(tr) to till or cultivate (land)

to handle or manipulate or be handled or manipulated: to work dough

to shape, form, or process or be shaped, formed, or processed: to work copper

to reach or cause to reach a specific condition, esp gradually: the rope worked loose

(tr) mainly US and Canadian to solve (a mathematical problem)

(intr) to move in agitation: his face worked with anger

(tr often foll by up) to provoke or arouse: to work someone into a frenzy

(tr) to effect or accomplish: to work one's revenge

to make (one's way) with effort: he worked his way through the crowd

(tr) to make or decorate by hand in embroidery, tapestry, etc: she was working a sampler

(intr) (of a mechanism) to move in a loose or otherwise imperfect fashion

(intr) (of liquids) to ferment, as in brewing

(tr) informal to manipulate or exploit to one's own advantage

(tr) slang to cheat or swindle