exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.

something on which exertion or labor is expended; a task or undertaking

The students finished their work in class.

productive or operative activity.

employment, as in some form of industry, esp. as a means of earning one's livelihood

to look for work.

one's place of employment

Don't phone him at work.

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.

an engineering structure, as a building or bridge.

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

works,

( used with a singular or plural verb ) a place or establishment for manufacturing (often used in combination)

ironworks.

the working parts of a machine

the works of a watch.

Theology . righteous deeds.

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 .

everything; all related items or matters

a hamburger with the works.

harsh or cruel treatment

to give someone the works.

of, for, or concerning work

work clothes.

working ( def. 18 ) .

to do work; labor.

to be employed, esp. as a means of earning one's livelihood

He hasn't worked for six weeks.

to be in operation, as a machine.

to act or operate effectively

The pump will not work. The 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.

to use or manage (an apparatus, contrivance, etc.)

She can work many business machines.

to bring about (any result) by or as by work or effort

to work a change.

to manipulate or treat by labor

to work butter.

to put into effective operation.

to operate (a mine, farm, etc.) for productive purposes

to work a coal mine.

to carry on operations in (a district or region).

to make, fashion, or execute by work.

to achieve or win by work or effort

to work one's passage.

to keep (a person, a horse, etc.) at work

She works her employees hard.

to influence or persuade, esp. insidiously

to work other people to one's will.

Informal . to exploit (someone or something) to one's advantage

See if you can work your uncle for a new car. He worked his charm in landing a new job.

to make or decorate by needlework or embroidery

She worked a needlepoint cushion.

to cause fermentation in. ?

work in or into,

to bring or put in; add, merge, or blend

The tailor worked in the patch skillfully. Work the cream into the hands until it is completely absorbed.

to arrange a time or employment for

The dentist was very busy, but said she would be able to work me in late in the afternoon. They worked him into the new operation.

work off,

to lose or dispose of, as by exercise or labor

We decided to work off the effects of a heavy supper by walking for an hour.

to pay or fulfill by working

He worked off his debt by doing odd jobs.

work on or upon, to exercise influence on; persuade; affect

I'll work on her, and maybe she'll change her mind.

work out,

to bring about by work, effort, or action.

to solve, as a problem.

to arrive at by or as by calculation.

to pay (a debt) by working instead of paying money.

to exhaust, as a mine.

to issue in a result.

to evolve; elaborate.

to amount to (a total or specified figure); add up (to)

The total works out to 176.

to prove effective or successful

Their marriage just didn't work out.

to practice, exercise, or train, esp. in order to become proficient in an athletic sport

The boxers are working out at the gym tonight.

work over,

to study or examine thoroughly

For my term paper I worked over 30 volumes of Roman history.

Informal . to beat unsparingly, esp. in order to obtain something or out of revenge

They threatened to work him over until he talked.

work through, to deal with successfully; come to terms with

to work through one's feelings of guilt.

work up,

to move or stir the feelings; excite.

to prepare; elaborate

Work up some plans.

to increase in efficiency or skill

He worked up his typing speed to 70 words a minute.

work up to, rise to a higher position; advance

He worked up to the presidency.

at work

working, as at one's job

He's at work on a new novel.

in action or operation

to see the machines at work.

gum up the works, Slang . to spoil something

as through blundering or stupidity

The surprise party was all arranged, but her little brother gummed up the works and told her.

in the works

in preparation or being planned

A musical version of the book is in the works.

make short work of

to finish or dispose of quickly

We made short work of the chocolate layer cake.

out of work

unemployed; jobless

Many people in the area were out of work.

shoot the works

Slang . to spend all one's resources

Let's shoot the works and order the crêpes suzette.

adjective

employed

adjective

between jobs , collecting unemployment , idle , jobless , laid off , on the dole , out of a job , unemployed