- 1[uncountable] the job that a person does, especially in order to earn money synonym employment She had been out of work (= without a job) for a year. He started work as a security guard. It is difficult to find work in the present economic climate. I'm still looking for work. She's planning to return to work once the children start school. What line of work are you in (= what type of work do you do)? before/after work (= in the morning/evening each day) full-time/part-time/unpaid/volunteer work Topic CollocationsJobsgetting a job
- look for work
- look for/apply for/go for a job
- get/pick up/complete/fill out an application (form)
- send/e-mail your résumé/CV/application/application form/cover letter
- be called for/have/attend an interview
- offer somebody a job/work/employment/a promotion
- find/get/land a job
- employ/hire/recruit staff/workers/trainees
- recruit/appoint a manager
- arrive at/get to/leave work/the office/the factory
- start/finish work/your shift
- do/put in/work overtime
- have/gain/get/lack/need experience/qualifications
- do/get/have/receive training
- learn/pick up/improve/develop (your) skills
- cope with/manage/share/spread/delegate the workload
- improve your/achieve a better work-life balance
- have (no) job satisfaction/job security
- have a job/work/a career/a vocation
- find/follow/pursue your vocation
- enter/go into/join a profession
- choose/embark on/start/begin/pursue a career
- change jobs/professions/careers
- be/go/work freelance
- do/take on temp work/freelance work
- do/be engaged in/be involved in volunteer work
- leave/quit/resign from your job
- give up work/your job/your career
- hand in your notice/resignation
- plan to/be due to retire in June/next year, etc.
- take early retirement
- lose/quit/leave your job
- get/be fired/ (informal) laid off/ (formal) terminated/asked to resign (for doing something)
- be offered/take early retirement
- face/be threatened with dismissal
- dismiss/fire an employee/a worker/a manager
- lay off staff/workers/employees
- cut/reduce/downsize the workforce
- be unemployed/out of work/out of a job
- look for/seek work/employment
- be on/collect/draw/get/receive unemployment (benefits)
- claim/draw/get/be on/qualify for unemployment (compensation)
- be/go/live/depend on welfare
- collect/receive/apply for/qualify for welfare
- combat/tackle/cut/reduce unemployment
- 2[uncountable] the duties that you have and the activities that you do as part of your job Police work is mainly routine. The accountant described his work to the sales staff. see piecework, social work
- 3[uncountable] tasks that need to be done There is plenty of work to be done in the garden. Taking care of a baby is hard work. I have some work for you to do. Stop talking and finish your work. see homework, schoolwork
- 4[uncountable] materials needed or used for doing work, especially books, papers, etc. She often brings work (= for example, files and documents) home with her from the office. His work was spread all over the floor. see paperwork place of job
- 5[uncountable] (used without the) the place where you do your job I go to work at 8 o'clock. When do you leave for work? The new legislation concerns health and safety at work. I have to leave work early today. Her friends from work came to see her in the hospital. effort
- 6[uncountable] the use of physical strength or mental power in order to do or make something She earned her grades through sheer hard work. We started work on the project in 2009. Work continues on renovating the hotel. The work of building the bridge took six months. The art collection was his life's work. She set them to work painting the fence. They performed pioneering work on the treatment of cancer. see donkey work, fieldwork product of work
- 7[uncountable] a thing or things that are produced as a result of work She's an artist whose work I really admire. Is this all your own work (= did you do it without help from others)? The book is a detailed and thorough piece of work covering all aspects of the subject.
- 8[uncountable] the result of an action; what is done by someone The damage is clearly the work of vandals. book/music/art
- 9[countable] a book, piece of music, painting, etc. the collected/complete works of Tolstoy works of fiction/literature Beethoven's piano works He recognized the sketch as an early work by Degas. see work of art compare opus building/repairing
- 10works [plural] (often in compounds) activities involving building or repairing something They expanded the shipyards and started engineering works. A contract can ensure that landlords carry out the works for which they are legally responsible. see public works factory
- 11works (pl. works) [countable] (often in compounds) a place where things are made or industrial processes take place a brickworks Raw materials were carried to the works by rail. Thesaurusfactory
- plant
- mill
- works
- yard
- workshop/shop
- foundry
- factory a building or group of buildings where goods are made:a chocolate/cigarette/clothing factory
- plant a factory or place where power is produced or an industrial process takes place:a nuclear power plant a manufacturing plant a bottling plant
- mill a factory that produces a particular type of material:a steel/cotton/paper/textile/woolen mill
- works (often in compounds) a place where things are made or an industrial process takes place:a brickworks a steelworks Raw materials were carried to the works by rail.
- yard (usually in compounds) an area of land used for building something:a shipyard
- workshop/shop a room or building in which things are made or repaired using tools or machinery:a car repair shop a sheet metal workshop
- foundry a factory where metal or glass is melted and made into different shapes or objects:an iron foundry
- a car/chemical/munitions factory/plant
- an engineering plant/(work)shop
- to manage/run a factory/plant/mill/works/yard/workshop/foundry
- to work in/at a factory/plant/mill/yard/workshop/foundry
- factory/mill/foundry owners/managers/workers
parts of machine - 12the works [plural] the moving parts of a machine, etc. synonym mechanism
- 13the works [plural] (informal) everything I want a pizza with the works: pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and anchovies. physics
- 14[uncountable] the use of force to produce movement see joule Thesauruswork
- employment
- career
- profession
- occupation
- trade
- work the job that someone does, especially in order to earn money:It's very difficult to find work at the moment. He's been out of work for months.
- employment (somewhat formal) work, especially when it is done to earn money; the state of being employed or the situation in which people have work:The company has employment opportunities right now.
- career the job or series of jobs that someone has in a particular area of work, usually involving more responsibility as time passes:She had a very distinguished career in medicine.
- profession a type of job that needs special training or skill, especially one that needs a high level of education:He hopes to enter the medical profession. The profession is all the people who work in a particular profession:the legal profession. The professions is an old-fashioned term for the traditional jobs that need a high level of education and training, such as being a doctor or lawyer.
- occupation (somewhat formal) a job or profession:Please state your name, age, and occupation.
- trade a job, especially one that involves working with your hands and requires special training and skills:Carpentry is a highly skilled trade.
- (a) full-time/part-time work/employment/career/occupation
- permanent/temporary work/employment
- (a) well-paid work/employment/profession/occupation
- (a) low-paid work/employment/occupation
- to look for/seek/find/have work/employment/a career/an occupation
- to get/obtain/give somebody/offer somebody/create/generate/provide work/employment
- 1having an effect on something She suspected that secret influences were at work.
- 2at work (on something) busy doing something He is still at work on the painting. Danger—men at work.
job/task
part of your normal working life and not unusual
it is not healthy to spend all your time working; you need to relax too
people who do not have enough to do often start to do wrong She blamed the crimes on the local jobless teenagers. “The devil makes work for idle hands,” she would say.
(to do) the unpleasant or dishonest jobs that someone else does not want to do Next time you can get someone else to do your dirty work for you!
to begin; to make a start We got to work on the outside of the house (= for example, painting it).
to do/start to do your work She went cheerfully about her work.
kind acts to help others
to be likely to have difficulty doing something You have your work cut out for you if you want to get there on time.
something that is in the works or in the pipeline is being discussed, planned, or prepared and will happen or exist soon
to use more time or energy on a task than is necessary
to do something quickly and with little effort
to defeat or deal with something or someone quickly Our team made short work of the opposition (= in a sports competition). The kids made short work of the birthday cake (= ate it quickly).
used to say that a job is made easier if a lot of people help
used when you wish that you had someone's success or good luck and think they have achieved it with little effort He was paid $200 for a ten-minute speech? Nice work if you can get it.
throw a monkey wrench in/into the works (also throw a wrench in/into the works) (informal) jump to other results
a thing that takes a very short time to do It was the work of a few minutes to hide the damage.
Check pronunciation: work