- [uncountable] (used without the) the job that a person does especially in order to earn money synonym employment
- He started work as a security guard.
- I'm still looking for work.
- It is difficult to find work in the present economic climate.
- She's planning to return to work once the children start school.
- full-time/part-time/unpaid/voluntary work
- out of work She had been out of work (= without a job) for a year.
- in work (British English) They are in work (= have a job).
- What line of work are you in (= what type of work do you do)?
- off work She's been off work (= not going to work) with a bad back since July.
Collocations JobsJobsGetting a job- look for work
- look for/apply for/go for a job
- get/pick up/complete/fill out/ (British English) fill in an application (form)
- send/email your (British English) CV/(North American English) résumé/application/application form/covering letter
- be called for/have/attend an interview
- offer somebody a job/work/employment/promotion
- find/get/land a job
- employ/ (especially North American English) hire/recruit/ (especially British English) take on 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 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/ (especially North American English) live (out) your vocation
- enter/go into/join a profession
- choose/embark on/start/begin/pursue a career
- change jobs/profession/career
- be/ (both especially British English) work/go freelance
- do/take on temp work/freelance work
- do/be engaged in/be involved in voluntary work
- leave/ (especially North American English) 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
Collocations UnemploymentUnemploymentLosing your job- lose your job
- (British English) become/be made redundant
- be offered/take voluntary redundancy/early retirement
- face/be threatened with dismissal/(British English) the sack/(British English) compulsory redundancy
- dismiss/fire/ (especially British English) sack an employee/a worker/a manager
- lay off staff/workers/employees
- (Australian English, New Zealand English, South African English) retrench workers
- cut/reduce/downsize/slash the workforce
- (British English) make staff/workers/employees redundant
- be unemployed/out of work/out of a job
- seek/look for work/employment
- be on/collect/draw/get/receive (both British English) unemployment benefit/jobseeker’s allowance
- be/go/live/sign (British English, informal) on the dole
- claim/draw/get (British English, informal) the dole
- be on/qualify for (North American English) unemployment (compensation)
- be/go/live/depend (North American English) on welfare
- collect/receive (North American English) welfare
- combat/tackle/cut/reduce unemployment
Synonyms workworkemployment ▪ career ▪ profession ▪ occupation ▪ tradeThese are all words for the jobs that somebody does in return for payment, especially over a long period of time. work the job that somebody does, especially in order to earn money:- It’s very difficult to find work at the moment.
- Only half the people here are in paid employment.
- He had a very distinguished career in the Foreign Office.
- He hopes to enter the medical profession.
- Please state your name, age, and occupation.
- Carpentry is a highly skilled trade.
- in/out of work/employment
- (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 work/employment/a career/an occupation
- to get/obtain/give somebody/offer somebody/create/generate/provide work/employment
Culture voluntary workvoluntary workVoluntary work is work that you do not get paid for and usually involves doing things to help other people, especially the elderly or the sick, or working for a charity or similar organization. Most charitable organizations rely on volunteers who don't get paid, and thousands of Americans and British people give many hours of their time to doing some form of social work or organizing fund-raising events to support the work. Volunteering is especially popular in the US and the reasons for this may be found in basic American values such as the Protestant ethic, the idea that work improves the person who does it, and the belief that people can change their condition if they try hard enough.People usually enjoy volunteering, as they choose jobs close to their personal interests. For instance, people who like animals may volunteer in an animal shelter, where they take care of animals that have been treated badly. Some voluntary work is short-term, for example, when people from a community get together to create a park. Other work is longer term, such as that of the US organization Habitat for Humanity, which builds houses for poor people. Parents often volunteer at their children's schools, and do things like building a play area or raising money for new equipment. Young people are also encouraged to do voluntary work. Schoolchildren visit old people in hospitals or homes, and students at college often raise money for charities. In the US young people over 18 can take part in AmeriCorps, a government programme that encourages them to work as volunteers for a period of time, with the promise of help in paying for their education later. Older Americans who do not work may spend much of their free time volunteering.In Britain a lot of voluntary work is directed towards supporting the country's social services. the Royal Voluntary Service and other organizations run a meals on wheels service in many parts of Britain, providing prepared meals for people who are unable to cook for themselves. The Citizens Advice Bureau, which offers free advice to the public on a wide range of issues, is run mainly by volunteers, and the Blood Transfusion Service relies on voluntary blood donors to give blood for use in hospitals. Political parties use volunteers at election time, and Churches depend on volunteers to keep buildings clean.Extra ExamplesTopics Jobsa1- A hundred grand for two days a week? Nice work if you can get it!
- Full-time work is hard to find.
- During the college vacations he does casual work in the local hospital.
- Employees must not make personal calls during work hours.
- He got laid off, so now he's looking for work again.
- She hasn't been in regular work since she left school.
- He preferred to make his money from honest work rather than from gambling.
- He's been out of work since the factory closed.
- Her boss told her she had to increase her work rate.
- High income tax can undermine work incentives.
- I met him through work.
- I'm lucky—I love my work.
- It's important to be happy in your work.
- Just before he was sixty, he decided to give up work.
- Many unemployed people welcome the chance to do purposeful work, even if unpaid.
- She has just returned to work after the birth of her child.
- She is now looking for paid work outside the home.
- He stops work at the end of this month.
- Some parents of young children choose not to go out to work.
- What time does work start in the morning?
- With so much unemployment, I'm lucky to be in work.
- Work's going well at the moment.
- Any kind of work with kids would suit him fine.
- He loves his work as a stage manager.
- She's been out of work for over a year.
- I'm looking for any kind of construction work.
- It is a country where most women with young children are in paid work.
- It's very difficult to find work at the moment.
- Would you give up work if you won the lottery?
- Most of us find it difficult to balance work and home life.
- They contacted the police when she did not report for work.
- She was already there when he arrived for work the following morning.
- I can't take any more time off work.
- She has to travel abroad a lot for work.
- He found some seasonal work on a farm.
- It was difficult to get work because of the economic depression.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- paid
- unpaid
- lucrative
- …
- have
- look for
- find
- …
- go
- start
- finish
- …
- day
- hours
- week
- …
- at work
- in (your) work
- off work
- …
- a line of work
- a place of work
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- [uncountable] (used without the) the place where you do your job; the time that you spend there
- I go to work at 8 o'clock.
- I was late for work again.
- I have to leave work early today.
- Her friends from work came to see her in the hospital.
- I get on well with my work colleagues.
- a pleasant work environment
- at work The new legislation concerns health and safety at work.
- before/after work I like to go for a run after work.
Extra Examples- I go to work by bus.
- When do you leave for work?
- What time do you knock off work tonight?
- What time do you finish work?
- We had a party at work.
- ‘Where's John?’ ‘He's still at work.’
- I travel four hours each day to and from work.
- Did you have a good day at work?
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- paid
- unpaid
- lucrative
- …
- have
- look for
- find
- …
- go
- start
- finish
- …
- day
- hours
- week
- …
- at work
- in (your) work
- off work
- …
- a line of work
- a place of work
- [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.
Extra ExamplesTopics Working lifea1- Ambulance crews alternate between emergency and routine work.
- People went about their daily work despite the war.
- The assistant manager supervises work on the factory floor.
- We give grants to support the work of voluntary organizations.
- They think that caring for children is women's work.
- Sales reps meet up monthly to coordinate their work.
- They lost the work to a competitor.
- What does the work involve?
- The work comes in bursts according to the time of year.
- Her work consists of drawing up and coordinating schedules.
- An independent report has described some work practices in the industry as old-fashioned.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- paid
- unpaid
- lucrative
- …
- have
- look for
- find
- …
- go
- start
- finish
- …
- day
- hours
- week
- …
- at work
- in (your) work
- off work
- …
- a line of work
- a place of work
- [uncountable] tasks that need to be done
- Taking care of a baby is hard work.
- Whenever am I going to do all this work?
- There is plenty of work to be done in the garden.
- Stop talking and get on with your work.
- He completed the work shortly before his death.
- important work being undertaken by volunteers
- Big football matches make a lot of work for the police.
Extra Examples- I have some work for you to do.
- It's time to get down to work.
- We get far too much work at this time of year.
- I need to wear glasses for close work.
- I think I'd better try and get some work done.
- I've got lots of work to do today.
- I've taken on more work than I have time to do.
- It will take a month to clear the backlog of work.
- All these visitors make a lot of work for me.
- Pressure of work forced him to cancel his holiday.
- It's hard work trying to get him to do a few things for himself.
- Small children make a lot of work for their parents.
- I had lots of work to do.
- That work can wait until tomorrow.
- How much will the work cost?
- He has some freelance work at the moment.
- How's the work going this morning?
- He's willing to do extra work to get the project finished on time.
- Making time for work and play is not easy.
- They were awarded a grant to continue their work.
- With five of us it was only a few hours of work.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- hard
- arduous
- back-breaking
- …
- bit
- piece
- carry out
- do
- put in
- …
- come
- wait
- go
- …
- ethic
- rate
- habit
- …
- at work
- work on
- work with
- …
- a backlog of work
- keep up the good work
- your life’s work
- …
- [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.
- [uncountable] the use of physical strength or mental power in order to do or make something
- She earned her grades through sheer hard work.
- work on something We began work on the project last year.
- They performed pioneering work on the treatment of cancer.
- Work continues on renovating the hotel.
- work of doing something 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.
Extra Examples- All the construction work was carried out in 2001.
- We're going to have some building work done on the house.
- Work on the project was halted.
- Work came to a complete standstill when rumours of redundancies started to circulate.
- Work came to a complete halt in the summer.
- Through their tireless work, they proved his innocence.
- The show is the product of two years' intensive work.
- They began work on the project last year.
- It doesn't require skill—it's a matter of sheer hard work.
- In accepting the award, she mentioned the sterling work of her assistants.
- I really appreciate all your hard work.
- classroom activities involving collaborative work between children
- The hotel manager thanked the staff and told them to keep up the good work.
- He did pioneering work on microbes.
- She's put in a lot of work on the design.
- The poorly designed bridge needs remedial work to make it safe.
- She's done a lot of work with disadvantaged children.
- She's only allowed to do a little light work because of her bad arm.
- To carry out accurate market research requires a huge amount of work.
- They employ a couple of young men to do the heavy work.
- He's been hard at work all morning.
- I have to do some work on the car before it'll be ready.
- She never does a stroke of work.
- Children can learn good work habits at school.
- The research institute needs funds in order to carry on its valuable work.
- The construction company has three work crews of five men each.
- Engine maintenance is dirty work.
- The showroom has been designed so that people can see work in progress.
- I'm always exhausted after a day's work.
- She praised the hard work and dedication of the staff.
- His economic development work is widely known.
- It took three months to complete the work.
- Work has begun on the restoration of the house.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- hard
- arduous
- back-breaking
- …
- bit
- piece
- carry out
- do
- put in
- …
- come
- wait
- go
- …
- ethic
- rate
- habit
- …
- at work
- work on
- work with
- …
- a backlog of work
- keep up the good work
- your life’s work
- …
- [uncountable] a thing or things that are produced as a result of work
- She's an artist whose work I really admire.
- outstanding work in this area/field
- 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.
- He left a substantial body of work—drawings and watercolours as well as oils.
Extra Examples- The degree show gives students a chance to exhibit their work in central London.
- Her work appears at the Museum of Contemporary Art this summer.
- State inspectors have cast doubt on claims of shoddy work on the new Bay Bridge.
- Her work can be seen in most of the major European galleries.
- A love of landscape informs all his work.
- The finished work will be on view in the city art gallery.
- These paintings are more abstract than her previous work.
- It was an interesting piece of work.
- The new president spent the first year undoing the work of his predecessor.
- We're supposed to hand in this work tomorrow.
- His written work is the best in the class.
- Nice work, James! I'm impressed.
- Work produced on a computer tends to look more professional.
- The report is the joint work of an economist and a sociologist.
- They published a book about her life and work.
- This study extends earlier work by the research team.
- His recent work has more energy and creativity.
- The exhibition features original works by leading sculptors.
- Her later work was more traditional.
- a large volume of published work on world architecture
- They strive to create work that is innovative.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- hard
- arduous
- back-breaking
- …
- bit
- piece
- carry out
- do
- put in
- …
- come
- wait
- go
- …
- ethic
- rate
- habit
- …
- at work
- work on
- work with
- …
- a backlog of work
- keep up the good work
- your life’s work
- …
- [countable] a book, piece of music, painting, etc.
- the collected/complete works of Tolstoy
- works of fiction/literature
- Chopin’s piano works
- Beethoven composed his greatest works in the latter part of his life.
- work by somebody He recognized the sketch as an early work by Degas.
Extra ExamplesTopics Literature and writinga2, Musica2, Arta2- a work entitled ‘The Sacrifice’
- The film is based on an early work by Alan Moore.
- The town hall is exhibiting works by local artists.
- a work entitled ‘Forward Pass’
- a work consisting of twelve small blank canvases
- Her portfolio includes published works in several magazines.
- a work by an unknown 18th-century writer
- The gallery is staging a special exhibition of Monet's early works.
- She's studying the theme of death in the works of Beckett.
- Picasso's mature works
- People are using file-sharing to steal copyrighted works.
- Over the next two years, the company is putting on the complete works of Brecht.
- Her latest novel is a work of genius.
- Her book is still considered the definitive work on beetles.
- He does mainly commissioned portrait works.
- The work represents a synthesis of the natural and the artificial.
- They discovered that his CV was a complete work of fiction.
- medieval literary works
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- classic
- fine
- great
- …
- series
- collection
- exhibit
- …
- compose
- create
- produce
- …
- be called something
- be entitled something
- be titled something
- …
- in a/the work
- work by
- a work of art
- a work of fiction
- a work of literature
- …
- [uncountable] work (of somebody/something) the result of an action; what is done by somebody
- The damage is clearly the work of vandals.
- works[plural] (often in compounds) activities involving building or repairing something
- roadworks
- They expanded the shipyards and started engineering works.
- A contract can ensure that landlords carry out the works for which they are legally responsible.
Extra Examples- A contraflow is in operation at the works near Junction 5.
- The works will continue until the end of July.
- We are planning to carry out major works on the site.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- extensive
- major
- road
- …
- carry out
- plan
- announce
- …
- continue
- go on
- be completed
- …
- at the work
- works(plural works)[countable + singular or plural verb] (often in compounds) a place where things are made or industrial processes take place
- an engineering works
- a brickworks
- Raw materials were carried to the works by barge.
Synonyms factoryfactoryplant ▪ mill ▪ works ▪ yard ▪ workshop ▪ foundryThese are all words for buildings or places where things are made or where industrial processes take place.factory a building or group of buildings where goods are made, mainly by machine:- a chocolate/cigarette/clothing factory
- a nuclear power plant
- a manufacturing plant
- a cotton/paper/textile/woollen mill
- a brickworks
- a steelworks
- Raw materials were carried to the works by barge.
- a shipyard
- a car repair workshop
- an iron foundry
- a car/chemical/munitions factory/plant
- an engineering plant/works
- 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
Extra Examples- The works at Bury turned out thousands of television sets a week.
- the night shift at the works
- The smell is believed to have originated from the sewage works.
- Scotland's biggest water treatment works
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brick
- iron
- steel
- …
- open
- close
- close down
- …
- open
- close
- close down
- …
- manager
- supervisor
- canteen
- …
- at the work
- the works[plural] the moving parts of a machine, etc. synonym mechanism
- the works[plural] (informal) everything
- We went to the chip shop and had the works: fish, chips, gherkins, mushy peas.
- [uncountable] the use of force to produce movement see also joule
job/task
effort
product of work
book/music/art
result of action
building/repairing
factory
parts of machine
everything
physics
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
See work in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee work in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishall in a day’s work
- part of your normal working life and not unusual
- Swimming with sharks or training a tiger cub—it's all in a day's work for animal wrangler Chris Bolton.
all work and no play (makes Jack a dull boy)
- (saying) it is not healthy to spend all your time working; you need to relax too
at work
- having an effect on something
- She suspected that secret influences were at work.
- at work (on something) busy doing something
- He is still at work on the painting.
- Danger—men at work.
the devil makes work for idle hands
- (saying) 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.
(do somebody’s) dirty work
- (to do) the unpleasant or dishonest jobs that somebody else does not want to do
- Next time you can get somebody else to do your dirty work for you!
- He always gets someone else to do the dirty work for him.
- The drugs gang used children to do their dirty work for them.
get (down) to/set to work
- to begin; to make a start
- We set to work on the outside of the house (= for example, painting it).
- Let's get to work.
give somebody the works
- (informal) to give or tell somebody everything
go/set about your work
- to do/start to do your work
- She went cheerfully about her work.
good works
- kind acts to help others
have your work cut out
- (informal) to be likely to have difficulty doing something
- You'll have your work cut out to get there by nine o'clock.
in the works
- something that is in the works is being discussed, planned or prepared and will happen or exist soon synonym in the pipeline
a job of work
- (British English, old-fashioned or formal) work that you are paid to do or that must be done
- There was a job of work waiting for him that he was not looking forward to.
make hard work of something
- to use more time or energy on a task than is necessary
make light work of something
- to do something quickly and with little effort
make short work of something/somebody
- to defeat, deal with something/somebody quickly
- Liverpool made short work of the opposition (= in a football match).
- He made short work of his lunch (= ate it quickly).
- Mike made short work of fixing the engine.
many hands make light work
- (saying) used to say that a job is made easier if a lot of people help
a nasty piece of work
- (British English, informal) a person who is unpleasant, unkind or dishonest
- Don’t trust him; he’s a nasty piece of work.
- He's a thoroughly nasty piece of work.
nice work!
- (informal, especially British English) used to show you are pleased when somebody has done something well
- You did a good job today. Nice work, James!
nice work if you can get it
- (informal) used when you wish that you had somebody’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 spanner in the works (British English)
(North American English (throw) a (monkey) wrench in the works)
- (to cause) a delay or problem with something that somebody is planning or doingTopics Difficulty and failurec2
too much like hard work
- needing too much effort
- I can't be bothered making a hot meal—it's too much like hard work.
the work of a moment, second, etc.
- (formal) 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