2work noun
plural works 1 [noncount] a : a job or activity that you do regularly especially in order to earn money
▪ How is work [=your job] going? ▪ She is trying to find work in publishing. ▪ How long have you been looking for work? ▪ He started work as a car salesman. ▪ I know him through work. ▪ When do you get off work? [=when do you stop working for the day?] ▪ She goes to the gym after work. [=after she has finished working] ▪ full-time/part-time work ▪ She plans to return to work [=start working her job again] in four months. ▪ What line of work is your wife in? = What does your wife do for work? — see also life's work, social work
b : the place where you do your job
▪ She didn't come to work today. ▪ He left work a few minutes ago. ▪ She's not here right now. She's at work. ▪ We met at work. ▪ She went out with her friends from work. 2 [noncount] a : the things that you do especially as part of your job
▪ Can you describe your work to the class? ▪ A large part of the work is responding to e-mails. ▪ administrative/secretarial work ▪ My brother did the electrical work on the house. ▪ After you finish your work, you can go outside and play. ▪ I have a lot of work to do.
b : things (such as papers, files, etc.) that you use to do your job
▪ His work cluttered his desk. ▪ She brought some work home with her from the office. — see also donkey work, fieldwork, groundwork, homework, housework, legwork, paperwork, piecework, schoolwork 3 [noncount] a : physical or mental effort that is used to perform a job or achieve a goal
▪ Getting my PhD took a lot of work, but it was worth it. ▪ Hard work is the key to success. ▪ Careful police work led to the murderer's capture. ▪ She hasn't done any work since she got here.
b : the process or activity of working
▪ He plans to start work on a new novel soon. ▪ The rain forced the crew to stop work on the building. ▪ Work on the project is already underway. [=people have started working on the project] ▪ You need to get down to work [=start working] if you want to finish the assignment on time. ▪ She set to work [=started working] on the project immediately. ▪ She diligently went about her work. [=did her work] ▪ He was told to keep up the good work. [=to continue doing good work] ◊Phrases like good work, nice work, etc., are used to tell people that they have done something very well.
▪ “I finished the project ahead of schedule.” “Good work!” 4 a [noncount] : something that is produced or done by someone
▪ Some clever camera work gave the illusion that she was standing next to him. ▪ The cabinets are the work of a skilled carpenter. [=the cabinets were made by a skilled carpenter] ▪ The robberies were the work of [=were done by] the same gang.
b : something (such as a book, song, or painting) that is produced by a writer, musician, artist, etc. [noncount] ▪ I love this painter's work. ▪ the author's entire body of work [count] ▪ the complete/collected works of Charles Dickens ▪ literary works ▪ the painter's latest work ▪ The painting is a work in progress. [=it is not yet finished] — see also artwork, handiwork, handwork 5 works [plural] : roads, bridges, dams, and similar structures : structures that are built by engineers
▪ engineering works from the 19th century — see also public works, waterworks 6 works : a place where industrial labor is done : a factory [singular] ▪ He got a job at a cement/lead/steel works. [plural] ▪ The local steel works have shut down. — see also gasworks 7 the works : the moving parts of a machine
▪ the works of a clock — sometimes used figuratively ▪ The office used to be very efficient, but the new regulations have gummed up the works. [=made the work more difficult and slow] 8 the works informal : everything
▪ They ordered a pizza with the works. [=with all the different toppings that were available] ▪ When we went to New York, we visited the museums, did some shopping, saw some shows—the whole works. 9 [noncount] physics : the energy that is used when a force is applied over a given distance
▪ How is work [=your job] going? ▪ She is trying to find work in publishing. ▪ How long have you been looking for work? ▪ He started work as a car salesman. ▪ I know him through work. ▪ When do you get off work? [=when do you stop working for the day?] ▪ She goes to the gym after work. [=after she has finished working] ▪ full-time/part-time work ▪ She plans to return to work [=start working her job again] in four months. ▪ What line of work is your wife in? = What does your wife do for work? — see also life's work, social work
b : the place where you do your job
▪ She didn't come to work today. ▪ He left work a few minutes ago. ▪ She's not here right now. She's at work. ▪ We met at work. ▪ She went out with her friends from work.
▪ Can you describe your work to the class? ▪ A large part of the work is responding to e-mails. ▪ administrative/secretarial work ▪ My brother did the electrical work on the house. ▪ After you finish your work, you can go outside and play. ▪ I have a lot of work to do.
b : things (such as papers, files, etc.) that you use to do your job
▪ His work cluttered his desk. ▪ She brought some work home with her from the office. — see also donkey work, fieldwork, groundwork, homework, housework, legwork, paperwork, piecework, schoolwork
▪ Getting my PhD took a lot of work, but it was worth it. ▪ Hard work is the key to success. ▪ Careful police work led to the murderer's capture. ▪ She hasn't done any work since she got here.
b : the process or activity of working
▪ He plans to start work on a new novel soon. ▪ The rain forced the crew to stop work on the building. ▪ Work on the project is already underway. [=people have started working on the project] ▪ You need to get down to work [=start working] if you want to finish the assignment on time. ▪ She set to work [=started working] on the project immediately. ▪ She diligently went about her work. [=did her work] ▪ He was told to keep up the good work. [=to continue doing good work] ◊Phrases like good work, nice work, etc., are used to tell people that they have done something very well.
▪ “I finished the project ahead of schedule.” “Good work!”
▪ Some clever camera work gave the illusion that she was standing next to him. ▪ The cabinets are the work of a skilled carpenter. [=the cabinets were made by a skilled carpenter] ▪ The robberies were the work of [=were done by] the same gang.
b : something (such as a book, song, or painting) that is produced by a writer, musician, artist, etc. [noncount] ▪ I love this painter's work. ▪ the author's entire body of work [count] ▪ the complete/collected works of Charles Dickens ▪ literary works ▪ the painter's latest work ▪ The painting is a work in progress. [=it is not yet finished] — see also artwork, handiwork, handwork
▪ engineering works from the 19th century — see also public works, waterworks
▪ the works of a clock — sometimes used figuratively ▪ The office used to be very efficient, but the new regulations have gummed up the works. [=made the work more difficult and slow]
▪ They ordered a pizza with the works. [=with all the different toppings that were available] ▪ When we went to New York, we visited the museums, did some shopping, saw some shows—the whole works.
at work 1 a : actively doing work
▪ He kept us hard at work but paid us well. ▪ We're at work on the new project.
b : doing your regular job
▪ He has been out with a back injury, but he'll be back at work soon. 2 : having an effect or influence
▪ She felt that a higher power was at work.
▪ He kept us hard at work but paid us well. ▪ We're at work on the new project.
b : doing your regular job
▪ He has been out with a back injury, but he'll be back at work soon.
▪ She felt that a higher power was at work.
have your work cut out for you
◊If you have your work cut out for you, the thing you need to do is very difficult, and you have to work very hard to achieve it.
▪ She knew she had her work cut out for her, but she was willing to do whatever it took to succeed.
▪ She knew she had her work cut out for her, but she was willing to do whatever it took to succeed.
in the works
informal : in the process of being prepared, developed, or completed
▪ Her next movie is already in the works. ▪ Plans are in the works for building three new schools in the area.
▪ Her next movie is already in the works. ▪ Plans are in the works for building three new schools in the area.
in work
Brit : having a regular job
▪ the percentage of people who are in work [=people who have jobs]
▪ the percentage of people who are in work [=people who have jobs]
make short/quick/light work of 1 : to make it possible for (something) to be done quickly or easily
▪ This new snow shovel makes short work of clearing off the driveway. ◊The expression many hands make light work means that people can do things more quickly and easily when they work together. 2 : to finish (something) or defeat (someone) quickly and easily
▪ She made short work of her opponents. ▪ The kids made quick work of the french fries. [=the kids ate the french fries quickly] ▪ He made light work of the problem. [=he solved the problem quickly and easily]
▪ This new snow shovel makes short work of clearing off the driveway. ◊The expression many hands make light work means that people can do things more quickly and easily when they work together.
▪ She made short work of her opponents. ▪ The kids made quick work of the french fries. [=the kids ate the french fries quickly] ▪ He made light work of the problem. [=he solved the problem quickly and easily]
out of work
: without a regular job
▪ The factory closed and left/put 5,000 people out of work. ▪ He has been out of work since January. [=he has not had a job since January]
▪ The factory closed and left/put 5,000 people out of work. ▪ He has been out of work since January. [=he has not had a job since January]
put/throw a spanner in the works — see spanner
throw a wrench into the works — see 1wrench
— see also piece of work
