works
Britishplural noun
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(often functioning as singular) a place where a number of people are employed, such as a factory
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the sum total of a writer's or artist's achievements, esp when considered together
the works of Shakespeare
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the deeds of a person, esp virtuous or moral deeds performed as religious acts
works of charity
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the interior parts of the mechanism of a machine, etc
the works of a clock
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informal in preparation
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See spanner
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slang
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full or extreme treatment
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a very violent physical beating
to give someone the works
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slang a syringe
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(modifier) of or denoting a racing car, etc, that is officially entered by a manufacturer in an event
a works entry
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 group no longer works with paid informants, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
The A.I. economy is even bigger than that, with far more investor and fund exposure in the works, and a worse-case crash could hit up to $20 trillion in household wealth, per the Vanderbilt report.
From Slate • May 15, 2026
Medication abortion works up to 70 days after the first day of a person’s last period — usually when they are 10 weeks pregnant.
From Salon • May 15, 2026
Coffi Lab said it works hard to ensure its shops are "warm and welcoming spaces" for everyone in the community.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
Led by the USGS, this coalition helps not only to monitor volcanoes around the world but also works to train local scientists and emergency responders to prepare for an eruption.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.