- (also British English, informal op)[countable] the process of cutting open a part of a person’s body in order to remove or repair a damaged part
- Will I need to have an operation?
- He underwent a three-hour heart operation.
- operation to do something He had an operation to remove a growth.
- operation on somebody/something (to do something) an operation on her lung to remove a tumour
- operation for something Doctors performed an emergency operation for appendicitis last night.
Collocations IllnessesIllnessesBecoming ill- catch a cold/an infectious disease/the flu/(British English) flu/pneumonia/a virus/(informal) a bug
- get (British English) ill/(North American English) sick/a disease/AIDS/breast cancer/a cold/the flu/(British English) flu/a migraine
- come down with a cold/the flu/(British English) flu
- contract a deadly disease/a serious illness/HIV/AIDS
- be infected with a virus/a parasite/HIV
- develop cancer/diabetes/a rash/an ulcer/symptoms of hepatitis
- have a heart attack/a stroke
- provoke/trigger/produce an allergic reaction
- block/burst/rupture a blood vessel
- damage/sever a nerve/an artery/a tendon
- feel (British English) ill/nauseous/queasy
- be running (British English) a temperature/(North American English) a fever
- have a head cold/diabetes/heart disease/lung cancer/a headache/(British English) a high temperature/(North American English) a fever
- suffer from asthma/malnutrition/frequent headaches/nausea/bouts of depression/post-traumatic stress disorder
- be laid up with/ (British English) be in bed with a cold/the flu/(British English) flu/a migraine
- nurse a cold/a headache/a hangover
- battle/fight cancer/depression/addiction/alcoholism
- examine a patient
- diagnose a condition/disease/disorder
- be diagnosed with cancer/diabetes/schizophrenia
- prescribe/be given/be on/take drugs/medicine/medication/pills/painkillers/antibiotics
- treat somebody for cancer/depression/shock
- have/undergo an examination/an operation/surgery/a kidney transplant/therapy/chemotherapy/treatment for cancer
- have/be given an injection/(British English) a flu jab/(North American English) a flu shot/a blood transfusion/a scan/an X-ray
- cure a disease/an ailment/cancer/a headache/a patient
- prevent the spread of disease/further outbreaks/damage to the lungs
- be vaccinated against the flu/(British English) flu/the measles/(British English) measles/polio/smallpox
- enhance/boost/confer/build immunity to a disease
Extra ExamplesTopics Healthcareb1- We met the surgeon who performed the operation.
- Robots can perform surgical operations on humans.
- She came through the operation very well.
- a delicate eye operation
- an operation for a kidney problem
- In 1942, she underwent an operation for a brain tumor.
- She had to have an operation on her knee to help her walk again.
- The player needed another operation on his injured knee.
- Following two major operations for duodenal cancer, he was confined to bed or a wheelchair.
- He is fit and well despite a major heart operation two years ago.
- He was concerned about the effect of cancelled operations on patients who had waited a long time for surgery.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- major
- minor
- small
- …
- have
- undergo
- come through
- …
- during a/the operation
- operation for
- operation on
- …
Definitions on the go
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- [countable] an organized activity that involves several people
- Weather conditions were too bad to mount a rescue operation.
- The authorities launched a massive security operation in the city.
- It was a covert government operation sanctioned by the President himself.
- operation against somebody/something The police have launched a major operation against drug suppliers.
- the UN peacekeeping operations
Extra Examples- A huge rescue operation was launched after two divers were reported missing.
- An ambitious clean-up operation followed the oil spill.
- The countries have conducted joint anti-terrorist operations.
- They were caught as a result of a surveillance operation.
- The council said funds will be available for relief operations.
- A criminal gang is thought to be behind the operation.
- This was a lengthy and complicated operation, which drew on all the specialist skills of our officers.
- It was a tricky operation to get all the barrels safely down on to the road.
- For anybody to move 380 tons of material, that would be quite an operation.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- large-scale
- major
- …
- begin
- launch
- mount
- …
- during a/the operation
- a theatre/theater of operations
- [countable] a business or company, usually one that involves many parts
- a huge multinational operation
- He runs a successful dairy operation.
- The venture will be set up as a 70%–30% joint operation.
Extra ExamplesTopics Businessb2- Network Computing Inc. plans to open a UK operation in Britain next year.
- They could not pledge long-term commitment to the Scottish manufacturing operation.
- It's difficult for smaller independent operations to compete.
- Today the co-op is a highly successful operation with a growing membership.
- I have no desire to expand my operation.
- By his mid-teens he was overseeing a local drug operation that brought in over $5 000 a day.
- The magazine was set up and funded as a joint operation by British Intelligence and the CIA.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- large-scale
- major
- …
- begin
- launch
- mount
- …
- during a/the operation
- a theatre/theater of operations
- [countable, usually plural] the activity or work done in a company, or in an area of business or industry
- The firm is looking to expand its operations overseas.
- The company announced it would cease operations.
- The directors are not involved in day-to-day operations of the business.
Extra ExamplesTopics Businessb2- The airline has appointed a new director of flight operations.
- restrictions placed on business operations
- One of the aims of the merger was to develop joint investment banking operations.
- The company has commenced new mining operations in Zambia.
- The company decided to eliminate its unprofitable manufacturing operations.
- software tools for planning, distribution, order management, and retail operations
- Many companies are transferring manufacturing operations to lower-cost countries.
- She was executive vice president of business operations.
- The company applied for a federal permit to expand its operations.
- David Thicke will oversee operations at the new warehouse.
- The business was forced to suspend operations due to water damage.
- The Financial Services Authority ordered the bank to suspend some operations for six months.
- The plant resumed operations after a two-week closure.
- They will continue operations as separate companies.
- The company's trading operations relied heavily on complicated transactions.
- The publisher will continue its web operations.
- It is understood that the new hedge fund has not commenced operations, but it is raising funds for investments.
- Retailers look for ways to streamline their operations and improve efficiency.
- The hurricane disrupted operations at refineries along the Gulf Coast.
- Many small businesses finance their operations by credit card.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- large-scale
- major
- …
- begin
- launch
- mount
- …
- during a/the operation
- a theatre/theater of operations
- operations(also informal ops)[plural] the department in a company that manages the way it produces goods or delivers services and makes sure its business practices are efficient
- He works in operations.
- [countable, uncountable] an act performed by a machine, especially a computer
- The whole operation is performed in less than three seconds.
Extra ExamplesTopics Computersb2- Use the new Smart Feature Manager to extract multiple features in a single operation.
- One of our application servers currently requires 3 passwords just for one simple operation.
- The application is designed to perform advanced file search operations on your computer.
- People can apply for benefits and perform other operations from their home computers.
- The staff didn't seem to know how to perform simple operations at the till.
- The hire cost for equipment is estimated according to the average number of times a particular operation is performed.
- To continue normal operations, both of the two firewalls must agree conditions are safe.
- Docking stations allow the laptop to be detached with a single operation.
- The phone boasts the very latest chip which delivers exceptional operation times.
- [uncountable] the way that parts of a machine or a system work; the process of making something work
- Regular servicing guarantees the smooth operation of the engine.
- Operation of the device is extremely simple.
- Competition is central to the operation of markets.
- The machine can get very hot during operation.
Extra Examples- Serious injuries can result from unsafe operation of this vehicle.
- As a student he did intensive research into the design and operation of fusion reactors.
- We found this ventilation device best with regards to ease of maintenance and operation.
- A touch screen can greatly simplify day-to-day operation of these complex devices.
- a long-lasting lamp with an operation time of up to 6 000 hours
- The law can and should constrain the operation of the free market.
- measures to improve the operation of the linked exchange rate system
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- effective
- efficient
- smooth
- …
- come into
- bring something into
- put something into
- …
- during operation
- in operation
- in full operation
- into full operation
- [uncountable] the action of functioning; the fact of being used or active or having an effect
- The factory will cease operation at the end of the year.
- in operation The system has been in operation for six months.
- Temporary traffic controls are in operation on New Road.
- into operation The new rules come into operation from next week.
- It's time to put our plan into operation.
Extra Examples- the only reactor in full operation
- the smooth day-to-day operation of the department
- To reduce the target would disrupt the operation of money market mutual funds.
- This is an example of the operation of the economic laws of supply and demand.
- (also op)[countable, usually plural] military activity
- joint military/combat operations
- US forces conducted ground and air operations.
- He was the officer in charge of operations.
- UN troops supervised the relief operations.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- large-scale
- major
- …
- begin
- launch
- mount
- …
- during a/the operation
- a theatre/theater of operations
- [countable] a process in which a number or quantity is changed by adding, multiplying, etc.
medical
organized activity
business
computer
machine/system
military activity
mathematics
Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from Latin operatio(n-), from the verb operari ‘expend labour on’, from opus, oper- ‘work’.
Check pronunciation:
operation