Work (Verb)
Meaning 1
Go sour or spoil; "The milk has soured"; "The wine worked"; "The cream has turned--we have to throw it out".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The milk left out in the sun began to work and smell bad.
- It's been too long since we opened the wine, I think it's worked and gone off now.
- If you leave the yogurt at room temperature, it will work and you won't be able to eat it anymore.
- The shopkeeper noticed the cream had started to work, so he immediately took it off the shelves.
- The buttermilk turned and worked because it was past its expiration date.
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Meaning 2
Give a workout to; "Some parents exercise their infants"; "My personal trainer works me hard"; "work one's muscles"; "this puzzle will exercise your mind".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- The intense boot camp will work your entire body to build endurance and strength.
- This brain teaser is designed to work your logic and problem-solving skills.
- My yoga instructor works my core muscles to improve my balance and posture.
- The challenging obstacle course will work your legs to exhaustion if you're not prepared.
- This complex math problem will work your mental abilities and require intense focus.
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Meaning 3
Move into or onto; "work the raisins into the dough"; "the student worked a few jokes into his presentation"; "work the body onto the flatbed truck".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The engineer worked the fragile chip into the circuit board without damaging it.
- The chef carefully worked the herbs into the mixture of spices and oils.
- She managed to work her ideas into the group project presentation.
- The movers slowly worked the heavy couch into the tight space through the doorway.
- He worked his charm into the conversation, effortlessly winning over the crowd.
Hypernyms
Meaning 4
Behave in a certain way when handled; "This dough does not work easily"; "The soft metal works well".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- This old clay can work beautifully under the right conditions.
- The soft metal works well and can be molded into various shapes.
- The high-grade leather does not work easily but yields a beautiful finish.
- This high-quality wood works beautifully when carved by a skilled craftsman.
- The fragile glass does not work well and is prone to cracking under pressure.
Meaning 5
Have and exert influence or effect; "The artist's work influenced the young painter"; "She worked on her friends to support the political candidate".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- The motivational speech worked on the team to push them to victory.
- Her constant persuasion worked on her parents to let her go to the concert.
- The charity's work has been known to work on donors to give generously to the cause.
- The commercial successfully worked on many viewers to buy the new product.
- Her talent agent worked on the casting director to get her client the role.
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Meaning 6
Gratify and charm, usually in order to influence; "the political candidate worked the crowds".
Classification
Verbs of feeling.
Examples
- The charismatic emcee worked the audience, effortlessly commanding their attention and enthusiasm.
- Her ability to work a room with her captivating smile and effortless charm was unmatched.
- He can work the crowds like no one else, charming them with his quick wit and infectious energy.
- The marketing team worked the festival crowd, handing out free samples and generating buzz for their new product.
- The president worked the room, shaking hands and making small talk as she mingled with dignitaries and donors.
Hypernyms
Meaning 7
Move in an agitated manner; "His fingers worked with tension".
Classification
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.
Examples
- Her eyes worked with anxiety as she waited for the exam results.
- His face worked with a mix of emotions during the sad movie.
- Her hands worked rapidly as she tried to meet the deadline.
- The child's body worked vigorously as she tried to hold back her laughter.
- Her mouth worked silently as she recited the words to herself.
Hypernyms
Meaning 8
Cause to happen or to occur as a consequence; "I cannot work a miracle"; "wreak havoc"; "bring comments"; "play a joke"; "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Examples
- Heat can work a change in the chemical composition of certain materials.
- Hormonal imbalances can work damages to a person's overall health.
- Increased stress levels can work inflammation in the body.
- The city's recycling program works wonders for the environment.
- The artist's sculpture works magic on the senses of the audience.
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Meaning 9
Find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of; "did you solve the problem?"; "Work out your problems with the boss"; "this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out"; "did you get it?"; "Did you get my meaning?"; "He could not work the math problem".
Classification
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting.
Examples
- I didn't understand the lyrics, can you help me work out their meaning.
- She couldn't work out the math problem by herself.
- It took her hours to work out the puzzle and find the solution.
- He struggled to work out the problem with his girlfriend and eventually broke up.
- The team had trouble working out the bugs in the new software.
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Meaning 10
Be employed; "Is your husband working again?"; "My wife never worked"; "Do you want to work after the age of 60?"; "She never did any work because she inherited a lot of money"; "She works as a waitress to put herself through college".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- She works as an accountant for a big company in the city.
- Many people work remotely due to the pandemic.
- After finishing his studies, he struggled to work in his field of choice.
- My sister has always wanted to work with animals, so she became a veterinarian.
- He never did have to work a day in his life thanks to his inheritance.
Synonyms
Hyponyms
- Scab
- Rat
- Drudge
- Occupy
- Labour
- Toil
- Dig
- Knuckle Down
- Moil
- Fag
- Buckle Down
- Take
- Blackleg
- Travail
- Grind
- Break One's Back
Related Words
Meaning 11
Prepare for crops; "Work the soil"; "cultivate the land".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Examples
- The farmers need to work the soil before planting their crops for the season.
- You have to work the land for hours every day to get it ready for seeds.
- She learned how to work the field, planting and harvesting different fruits and vegetables.
- They decided to work the ground with a new plow to make the process easier.
- He spent years learning how to work the earth and create healthy, fertile farmland.
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Meaning 12
Have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected; "The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought"; "How does your idea work in practice?"; "This method doesn't work"; "The breaks of my new car act quickly"; "The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- The new advertisements for the perfume seem to work, sales have increased dramatically.
- The idea sounded good on paper, but in reality it just doesn't work.
- In some cases certain types of therapies work well to treat depression.
- The insulation doesn't work very well in this old house during winter.
- The allergy shots only work for five years before they have to be redone.
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Meaning 13
Shape, form, or improve a material; "work stone into tools"; "process iron"; "work the metal".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Examples
- The blacksmith will work molten iron into strong railroad tracks.
- The skilled sculptor can work marble into stunning statues.
- Artisans carefully work the leather into beautiful handbags.
- To build the ancient monument, thousands of workers had to work massive granite blocks into place.
- Local craftsmen still work wood into traditional furniture pieces handed down through generations.
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Meaning 14
Use or manipulate to one's advantage; "He exploit the new taxation system"; "She knows how to work the system"; "he works his parents for sympathy".
Classification
Verbs of eating and drinking.
Examples
- She knows how to work the system to get what she wants.
- He works his charm to convince his friends to go along with the plan.
- She works her mother for a later bedtime by using puppy eyes.
- The manager works the company's finances to maximize profits.
- He learned to work the bureaucracy to get his permit approved quickly.
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Meaning 15
Operate in a certain place, area, or specialty; "She works the night clubs"; "The salesman works the Midwest"; "This artist works mostly in acrylics".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- The journalist works the local crime beat to uncover hidden stories.
- He works the Pacific coastline for the shipping company's maritime division.
- The model works exclusively in fashion shows for high-end designers.
- She mostly works studio portraits using natural lighting techniques.
- The popular consultant works small businesses in the downtown area.
Related Words
Meaning 16
Operate in or through; "Work the phones".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- She was able to work the crowd into a frenzy with her dynamic stage presence.
- To get attention from the press, the politician's team will work the phones relentlessly.
- During the trade show, the marketing team worked the room networking with potential clients.
- In order to raise funds for charity, volunteers were asked to work the doors collecting donations.
- The activists planned to work the streets distributing flyers to raise awareness about the issue.
Hypernyms
Meaning 17
Provoke or excite; "The rock musician worked the crowd of young girls into a frenzy".
Classification
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling.
Examples
- The politician worked the voters into a fervent state of excitement with her impassioned speech.
- The salesman worked the audience with his charismatic personality and witty jokes.
- The comedian worked the crowd into a state of hysteria with her outrageous humor.
- The motivational speaker worked the crowd of aspiring entrepreneurs into a state of high energy.
- The energetic lead singer worked the arena crowd into a frenzy with her captivating performance.
Hypernyms
Meaning 18
Perform as expected when applied; "The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in"; "Does this old car still run well?"; "This old radio doesn't work anymore".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The air conditioning won't work until it's serviced.
- My new computer doesn't seem to work properly with this software.
- This old printer still works well despite its age.
- The garage door opener won't work if the batteries are dead.
- Unfortunately the ATM doesn't work during a power outage.
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Meaning 19
Arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion; "The stitches of the hem worked loose after she wore the skirt many times".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The machine's gears work together smoothly after months of use and the initial break-in period.
- The rust gradually worked its way through the metal, weakening the structure over time.
- Years of exposure to the elements had worked the paint off the old fence.
- The combination of water and soil erosion worked the rock face away over millions of years.
- The engine's pistons work the cylinder liners smooth after long periods of high mileage use.
Hypernyms
Meaning 20
Make uniform; "knead dough"; "work the clay until it is soft".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- She will gently work the butter until it's smooth and pliable for the frosting.
- The artist needs to work the paint until it reaches the right consistency.
- They spent hours working the stubborn leather to make it soft enough for the upholstery.
- Work the mixture until the sugar has fully dissolved in the sauce.
- Chefs must learn to carefully work the dough until it reaches a perfect smoothness.
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Meaning 21
Exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity; "I will work hard to improve my grades"; "she worked hard for better living conditions for the poor".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- They have to work tirelessly to meet the project's tight deadline.
- She will work hard to get the scholarship and fund her education.
- He worked diligently for years to achieve his dream of opening a restaurant.
- I will work on my weaknesses to become a better basketball player.
- They work diligently every day to help those affected by the disaster.
Antonyms
Hyponyms
- Go Through
- Slog
- Join Forces
- Keep One's Shoulder To The Wheel
- Muck About
- Cooperate
- Work On
- Specialise
- Potter
- Peg Away
- Waitress
- Occupy
- Keep One's Nose To The Grindstone
- Tinker
- Monkey Around
- Beaver Away
- Run Through
- Muck Around
- Scant
- Get Together
- Monkey
- Mess Around
Related Words
Meaning 22
Cause to undergo fermentation; "We ferment the grapes for a very long time to achieve high alcohol content"; "The vintner worked the wine in big oak vats".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The brewmaster carefully worked the yeast to brew the perfect ale.
- The vintner worked the wine for years in the cellar to achieve the desired taste.
- The artisan worked the vinegar until it reached the perfect balance of flavors.
- We work our sauerkraut for weeks to develop its unique tanginess.
- The cheesemaker worked the curds for hours to create the creamy texture.
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Meaning 23
Cause to operate or function; "This pilot works the controls"; "Can you work an electric drill?".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- She learned to work a camera during her photography class.
- Can you work a jackhammer safely and efficiently.
- He knew how to work a fire extinguisher in case of an emergency.
- The employee didn't know how to work the new copier machine yet.
- She was manually taught to work the difficult mechanical loom.
Hypernyms
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Meaning 24
Proceed along a path; "work one's way through the crowd"; "make one's way into the forest".
Classification
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.
Examples
- The hikers worked their way slowly up the steep mountain trail.
- We worked our way to the front of the stage to get a better view.
- As a child, she would work her way through the cornfield to get to the other side of her family's farm.
- The rescuers worked their way through the rubble to reach the trapped survivors.
- She worked her way down the crowded hallway to reach her locker.
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Meaning 25
Cause to work; "he is working his servants hard".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- She is working her employees even on weekends without overtime pay.
- The manager is working the marketing team hard to meet the tight deadline.
- He is working the IT department late into the night to resolve the system issues.
- They are working their designers around the clock to prepare the designs for the upcoming exhibition.
- The strict coach is working her players hard in the training sessions to prepare for the finals.
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Meaning 26
Make something, usually for a specific function; "She molded the rice balls carefully"; "Form cylinders from the dough"; "shape a figure"; "Work the metal into a sword".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Examples
- The artist worked the clay into a beautiful sculpture that captured the spirit of the city.
- Skilled craftsmen work the leather into durable shoes that last for years.
- She carefully worked the dough into a delicate pastry that melted in your mouth.
- The blacksmith worked the iron into a sturdy tool that could withstand harsh weather conditions.
- Carpenters work the wood into sturdy furniture that can be passed down for generations.
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Meaning 27
Proceed towards a goal or along a path or through an activity; "work your way through every problem or task"; "She was working on her second martini when the guests arrived"; "Start from the bottom and work towards the top".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- Start from the bottom and work your way up the corporate ladder if you want to be successful.
- She was working on her third novel when she received a call from her agent offering a publishing deal.
- The hikers had to work their way through the dense forest to reach the nearest town.
- The manager advised the employees to work from the most urgent tasks to the least important ones.
- The young chef worked his way up from a kitchen assistant to a head chef in just five years.