work
- sense 1: 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"
- work
- sense 2: 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"
- work do_work
- sense 3: 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"
- work act
- sense 4: 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"
- function work operate go run
- sense 5: shape, form, or improve a material; "work stone into tools"; "process iron"; "work the metal"
- work work_on process
- transform transmute transubstantiate
- sense 6: give a work-out to; "Some parents exercise their infants"; "My personal trainer works me hard"; "work one's muscles"
- exercise work work_out
- work put_to_work
- use utilize utilise apply employ
- sense 7: proceed along a path; "work one's way through the crowd"; "make one's way into the forest"
- make work
- pass go_through go_across
- sense 8: operate in a certain place, area, or specialty; "She works the night clubs"; "The salesman works the Midwest"; "This artist works mostly in acrylics"
- work
- sense 9: 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"
- work
- sense 10: move in ran agitated manner; "His fingers worked with tension"
- work
- sense 11: 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"
- bring work play wreak make_for
- sense 12: cause to work; "he is working his servants hard"
- work put_to_work
- use utilize utilise apply employ
- sense 13: prepare for crops; "Work the soil"; "cultivate the land"
- cultivate crop work
- prepare set_up ready gear_up set
- sense 14: behave in a certain way when handled; "This dough does not work easily"; "The soft metal works well"
- work
- sense 15: have and exert influence or effect; "The artist's work influenced the young painter"; "She worked on her friends to support the political candidate"
- influence act_upon work
- affect impact bear_upon bear_on touch_on touch
- sense 16: operate in or through; "Work the phones"
- work
- sense 17: cause to operate or function; "This pilot works the controls"; "Can you work an electric drill?"
- work
- sense 18: provoke or excite; "The rock musician worked the crowd of young girls into a frenzy"
- work
- sense 19: gratify and charm, usually in order to influence; "the political candidate worked the crowds"
- work
- capture enamour trance catch becharm enamor captivate beguile charm fascinate bewitch entrance enchant
- sense 20: make something, usually for a specific function; "She molded the riceballs carefully"; "Form cylinders from the dough"; "shape a figure"; "Work the metal into a sword"
- shape form work mold mould forge
- create_from_raw_material create_from_raw_stuff
- sense 21: 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"
- work
- sense 22: make uniform; "knead dough"; "work the clay until it is soft"
- knead work
- sense 23: 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"
- exploit work
- use utilize utilise apply employ
- sense 24: find the solution to (a problem or question) or udnerstand 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"
- solve work_out figure_out puzzle_out lick work
- sense 25: 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"
- ferment work
- sense 26: go sour or spoil; "The milk has soured"; "The wine worked"; "The cream has turned--we have to throw it out"
- sour turn ferment work
- sense 27: arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion; "The stitches of the hem worked loose after she wore the skirt many times"
- work