work
verb/wɜːk/
/wɜːrk/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they work | /wɜːk/ /wɜːrk/ |
| he / she / it works | /wɜːks/ /wɜːrks/ |
| past simple worked | /wɜːkt/ /wɜːrkt/ |
| past participle worked | /wɜːkt/ /wɜːrkt/ |
| -ing form working | /ˈwɜːkɪŋ/ /ˈwɜːrkɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to do something that involves physical or mental effort, especially as part of a job
- I can't work if I'm cold.
- The kids always work hard at school.
- work on something The whole team is currently working on the project.
- He is working on a new novel.
- She's outside, working on the car.
- work at something I've been working at my assignment all day.
- work with somebody Work with a partner to solve the problem.
- We work closely with clients to develop specific solutions.
- + noun Doctors often work very long hours.
- He works shifts at a metal plant.
Extra ExamplesTopics Jobsa1- An architect must work within the confines of the laws of physics.
- Employees are motivated to work harder for a variety of different reasons.
- I've spent three hours working at this problem.
- I work more efficiently on my own.
- We worked steadily away all morning.
- I got to work with leading architects.
- We will continue to work with suppliers and listen to customers.
- I have to work unsociable hours at times.
- I am willing to work hard to accomplish this.
- The police are actively working with different groups in the community.
- She is working on an important murder case.
- They are working in close partnership with the local council.
- She met other artists who worked in similar ways to her.
- The department works on issues of special concern to women.
- They don't want to work seven days a week.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- hard
- tirelessly
- assiduously
- …
- continue to
- choose to
- prefer to
- …
- as
- at
- for
- …
- [intransitive] to have a job
- Both my parents work.
- to work in an office/a factory
- work for somebody/something She works for an engineering company.
- My father wants me to work for him when I leave school.
- work in something I've always worked in education.
- He worked in the oil industry for twenty years.
- work with somebody/something Do you enjoy working with children?
- work as something My son is working as a teacher.
Extra ExamplesTopics Working lifea1- the people you work with
- people who have worked closely together over a period of time
- A lot of mothers choose to work part-time.
- He's working as a builder at the moment.
- He was found to be working illegally and was deported.
- I work primarily with young children.
- She works for an oil company.
- He works directly with customers.
- I prefer to work as part of a team.
- I needed a job which would enable me to work at home.
- They have lived and worked in the area all their life.
- Many of them had the opportunity to work or study abroad.
- The school is a great place to work.
- She works with young people.
- She is working in the field of historic preservation.
- It is great to work in an environment that encourages creativity.
- She is still working at the age of 80.
- He works from home (= does paid work at home) two days a week.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- hard
- tirelessly
- assiduously
- …
- continue to
- choose to
- prefer to
- …
- as
- at
- for
- …
- [intransitive] to make efforts to achieve something
- work for something She dedicated her life to working for peace.
- work to do something The committee is working to get the prisoners freed.
- work together We have proved that different groups can work harmoniously together.
- work together to do something The police and the public need to work together to combat crime.
Extra Examples- Emergency teams were working around the clock to make the homes secure.
- Farmers must work together for their own economic good.
- We are actively working to increase the number of women in science.
- They worked tirelessly to promote the charity.
- I'm working on a plan to get out of this situation.
- [transitive] work yourself/somebody + adv./prep. to make yourself/somebody work, especially very hard
- She works herself too hard.
- He says they're working him hard.
- [intransitive] to function; to operate
- The printer isn't working.
- How does the device actually work?
- Are they any closer to understanding how the brain works?
- work by something It works by electricity.
- work by doing something The filtration process works by physically removing the contaminants from the water.
Extra Examples- My limbs seemed to be working independently of each other.
- The machine is tested regularly to make sure it is working properly.
- The fish's eyes can work independently of each other.
- Both ends must be securely sealed for it to work effectively.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- correctly
- effectively
- efficiently
- …
- seem to
- work like a charm
- work like magic
- work to somebody’s advantage
- …
- [transitive] work something to make a machine, device, etc. operate
- Do you know how to work the coffee machine?
- The machine is worked by wind power.
- [intransitive] to have the result or effect that you want
- The pills the doctor gave me aren't working.
- My plan worked, and I got them to agree.
- The system seemed to work well.
- Everything worked very smoothly.
- work on somebody/something His charm doesn't work on me (= does not affect or impress me).
Extra Examples- Organic farming works best with a wide variety of crops.
- I might have an idea that would work perfectly.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- correctly
- effectively
- efficiently
- …
- seem to
- work like a charm
- work like magic
- work to somebody’s advantage
- …
- [intransitive] to have a particular effect
- work against somebody Your age can work against you in this job.
- work in somebody’s favour Speaking Italian should work in his favour.
Extra Examples- You can make your youth work to your advantage.
- There were a number of factors that worked against them in the last election.
- The fact that you are experienced should work in your favour.
- [transitive] work something to manage or operate something to gain benefit from it
- to work the land (= grow crops on it, etc.)
- Boys who didn't go to school worked the land with their fathers.
- He works a large area (= selling a company's goods, etc.).
- You have to learn how to work the system if you want to succeed.
- (figurative) She was a skilful speaker who knew how to work a crowd (= to excite them or make them feel something strongly).
- [transitive] to make a material into a particular shape or form by pressing, stretching, hitting it, etc.
- work something to work clay
- to work gold
- work something into something to work the mixture into a paste
- [intransitive] work in/with something (of an artist, etc.) to use a particular material to produce a picture or other item
- an artist working in oils
- a craftsman working with wool
- [intransitive] (formal) to move violently
- He stared at me in horror, his mouth working.
- [intransitive, transitive] to move or pass to a particular place or state, usually gradually
- + adv./prep. It will take a while for the drug to work out of your system.
- He worked his way to the top of his profession.
- work yourself/something + adj. I was tied up, but managed to work myself free.
- + adj. The screw had worked loose.
do job/task
make effort
machine/device/system
have result/effect
manage
use material
of part of face/body
move gradually
Word OriginOld English weorc (noun), wyrcan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch werk and German Werk, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek ergon.
Idioms Most idioms containing work are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example work your fingers to the bone is at finger.
See work in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee work in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishwork it/things
- (informal) to arrange something in a particular way, especially by being clever
- Can you work it so that we get free tickets?
Check pronunciation:
work