make short work of

To settle or dispose of promptly

run short see under run

short and sweet

1. Surprisingly or gratifyingly brief, used eg of a speech expected to be of greater length (and tedium)
2. (ironically) curt or abrupt

short for

A shortened form of

short of

1. Less than
2. Without going so far as
3. Having insufficient supplies of

short on (informal)

Deficient in

stop short

To come to a sudden standstill

taken short same as caught short above.

take (or take up) short

1. To take by surprise or at a disadvantage
2. To interrupt curtly

the short and the long (of it) (Shakespeare)

Same as the long and the short (see under long¹)

work /wûrk/

noun

1. Physical or mental effort directed towards making or achieving something
2. Employment
3. One's place of employment
4. Tasks to be accomplished
5. That on which one is labouring, one's task or workpiece
6. The product of mental or physical labour, anything made or done
7. Materials for accomplishing one's task
8. Needlework, embroidery (old)
9. A deed
10. Doings
11. The result of action
12. The manner of performing or completing a task, quality of working, workmanship
13. (usu in pl) an action in its moral aspect, esp as tending to justification (theology)
14. A literary, artistic, musical or dramatic composition or creation
15. A book
16. (as combining form) things made, or ornamentation executed, in the material or with the tools specified, as in basketwork, woolwork, crewelwork
17. (as combining form) the parts of a building, etc in a specified material, as in brickwork, stonework, woodwork, paintwork
18. (in pl) building or repair operations, as in roadworks, clerk of works
19. (in pl) a factory, workshop (as adj of a racing-car, entered officially in a race by the manufacturer)
20. (in pl) walls, ramparts, trenches, etc (fortification or archaeology)
21. (in pl) the mechanism or operating parts, eg of a watch
22. (in pl) the syringe and associated drug-injecting equipment (drug sl)
23. The act of producing an effect by means of a force (F) whose point of application moves through a distance (s) in its own line of action, measured by the product of the force and the distance, so that W=Fs (physics)
24. The spin given to a ball by a bowler to cause it to break on pitching (cricket)
25. (by confusion with OE wærc) ache, trouble, fuss (dialect)

adjective

Relating to, suitable for, etc work, as in work clothes

intransitive verb (pat and pap worked or (archaic) wrought)

1. To exert oneself mentally or physically to achieve or attain anything, to toil, labour or study
2. To perform the tasks and duties involved in a job
3. To be occupied in business or labour
4. To be employed
5. To move, or make one's way, slowly and laboriously
6. To move or shift gradually out of position, as in work loose
7. (of a ship's timbers) to shift and gape through the action of wind and water
8. To be in action
9. To operate, function
10. To produce effects
11. To behave in the desired way when operated
12. To prove practicable
13. (of a craftsperson; with in) to fashion things in (a certain material)
14. To ache, be painful (dialect)
15. To ferment
16. (of eg features) to be agitated, move convulsively
17. To strain, labour
18. To sail in a course, esp to beat to windward (nautical)
19. To contrive, plan (archaic)

transitive verb

1. To impose tasks on, to cause to labour
2. To put in motion or operate (a machine, etc)
3. To shape or fashion (material or an artefact)
4. To cultivate (land)
5. To extract materials from (a mine)
6. To knead or manipulate (dough)
7. To cause to ferment
8. To sew or embroider (old)
9. To cover (an area) as a sales representative, etc
10. To achieve (miracles, wonders, etc)
11. To effect or seek to effect (one's revenge)
12. To manipulate (a system, rules, etc) to one's advantage (informal)
13. To influence, cajole or trick (informal)
14. (reflexive) to get (oneself into an emotional state, rage, etc)
15. To make (one's way)
16. To cause to shift little by little, by persistent manipulation
17. To exercise (a part of the body)
18. To purge (dialect)
19. To solve by mathematical calculation (N American)
20. To earn (one's sea passage) by unpaid work on board
21. To finance (one's way through university, etc) by doing paid work

workabilˈity or workˈableness noun

workˈable adjective

1. That may be worked
2. Practicable

workˈably adverb

workaholic /wûr-kə-holˈik/ noun and adjective

(a person) addicted to work (coined facetiously in imitation of alcoholic; see -aholic)

workˈaholism noun

worked adjective

1. That has been treated or fashioned in some way
2. Embroidered
3. Ornamented

workˈer noun

1. Someone who works
2. A toiler
3. Someone employed in manual work
4. An employee as opposed to an employer
5. (among social insects) one of a caste of sterile individuals that do all the work of the colony

workˈerist noun (old)

A supporter of proletarian rights and values, esp (derogatory) one of upper or middle class (also adjective)

workˈful adjective

Industrious

workˈing noun

1. The act or process of shaping, making, effecting, solving, fermenting, etc
2. An exposition of the process of calculation (mathematics, etc)
3. Manner of operating or functioning
4. (in pl) internal processes
5. Endeavour (obsolete)
6. (in pl) deeds (obsolete)
7. Mental or emotional activity (obsolete)
8. Contortion due to agitation
9. Slow and laborious progress
10. (in pl) the parts of a mine, etc where work is, or has been, carried on

adjective

1. Active
2. Operational
3. Labouring
4. Having a job or employment
5. Relating to labour, a job or employment
6. (of a period of time) devoted to, or denoting that part that is devoted to, work
7. Adequate for one's purposes, as in working knowledge
8. Stirring the emotions (obsolete)

workˈless adjective

Having no job, unemployed (also plural noun)

workˈsome adjective (Carlyle)

Industrious

workˈaday adjective

1. Suitable for a work day, plain and practical
2. Toiling
3. Dull, prosaic

noun (obsolete or dialect)

A working day

workˈaround noun (computing)

A method used to circumvent, rather than fix, a problem or limitation in a system

workˈbag, workˈbasket noun

Respectively a bag and basket for holding materials for work, esp needlework

workˈbench noun

A bench, often purpose-built, at which a craftsman, mechanic, etc works

workˈboat noun

One used for work such as fishing, harbour maintenance, carrying industrial supplies, etc rather than for naval or passenger service

workˈbook noun

1. A book of exercises, often with spaces for the answers, to accompany another book
2. A record book of jobs undertaken, in progress or completed

workˈbox noun

A box for holding instruments or materials for work

work camp noun

A camp attended by esp young people who work voluntarily, and usu manually, on projects of benefit to the community

workˈday noun

A day for work, a weekday

adjective

Relating to a workday

worker director noun

A worker appointed to the board of a firm so as to represent its employees in policy-making discussions

worker participation noun

1. The involvement of workers in decision-making
2. See also participate

worker priest noun

A priest in the Roman Catholic Church who also works full-time or part-time in a secular job in order to understand better the problems of lay people

workers' co-operative noun

A business or other enterprise jointly owned and run by its members, who share the profits

work ethic noun

The general attitude of a group towards work, esp one (Protestant work ethic) that places a high moral value on (hard) work

work experience noun

A scheme by which school leavers work unpaid for a company or organization for a short time in order to gain experience of working life

workˈfare noun

An unemployment benefit scheme under which recipients are required to do work of some kind, usu some kind of public service

workˈfellow noun

Someone engaged on the same job as oneself, a workmate

workˈflow noun

The (rate of) progress in a particular task being carried out by a person, department, company, etc

workˈfolk or workˈfolks plural noun

Workers

workˈforce noun

1. The number of workers engaged in a particular industry, factory, etc
2. The total number of workers potentially available

work function noun (physics)

The energy required to release a photoelectron from a cathode either by heating or irradiation

workˈgirl noun

A girl or young woman employed in manual labour

workˈgroup noun

A group of computer users linked by means of a network

workˈ-harden transitive verb (engineering)

To harden and strengthen (metals) by working (esp cold-working) them, subjecting them to processes such as hammering and rolling

workˈ-hardening noun

workˈhorse noun

1. A horse used in a labouring capacity rather than for recreation, racing, etc
2. A person, machine or anything else heavily depended on to do arduous work, give intensive service, etc

workˈhouse noun (historical)

1. A house where any work or manufacture is carried on
2. A house of shelter for the poor, who are given work to do
3. A prison where petty offenders carry out physical labour (US)

work-in see work in below.

workˈing-beam noun

A walking-beam (qv under walk¹)

working breakfast, lunch, etc noun

One arranged as an alternative to a formal meeting, for the discussion of diplomatic or other business

working capital see under capital¹

working class noun

(often in pl) the class in society that comprises manual workers and wage-earners

workˈing-class adjective

working day noun

1. A day on which work is done
2. The period of actual work each day

worˈking-day adjective

1. Laborious
2. Plodding
3. Ordinary

working drawing noun

A drawing of the details of the construction or assembly of something by which the builders are guided in their work

working edge noun

An edge of a piece of wood trued square with the working face to assist in truing the other surfaces square

working face noun

That face of a piece of wood which is first trued and then used as a basis for truing the other surfaces

working girl noun (informal; orig US)

A prostitute

working hours plural noun

The period of the day during which work is normally done, and offices, shops, etc are open

working house noun (obsolete)

A workshop

working hypothesis noun

An assumption on the basis of which to make plans or take action

working lunch see working breakfast above.

working majority noun

A majority of sufficient size that the party in office would not expect to be defeated in any vote

working man or working woman noun

A worker, esp a manual one

working memory noun (psychology)

That part of the memory that is contained in a person's consciousness at any particular time

working model noun

A model of a machine that can do, on a smaller scale, the same work as the machine

working paper noun

A paper produced as a basis for discussion, to report on progress made, etc, rather than as a final statement

working party or work party noun

1. A group of people who carry out a specially assigned task
2. A group appointed to investigate a subject, such as methods of attaining maximum efficiency in an industry

working week or (N American) workˈweek noun

1. That part of the week in which work is normally done, esp Monday to Friday
2. Any week in which such work is done, as opposed eg to holidays

workˈload noun

The amount of work assigned to an individual, machine, etc for completion within a certain time

workˈman noun

1. A man who works, esp manually
2. A skilful artificer or craftsman

workˈmanlike adjective

1. Like a workman
2. Befitting a skilful workman
3. Well performed

workˈmanly adjective

Befitting a skilful workman, workmanlike

adverb (old)

In a workmanlike manner

workˈmanship noun

1. The skill of a workman
2. Manner of making
3. The degree of expertise shown in making something, or of refinement of finish in the completed product
4. That which is made or produced by one's hands (also figurative)

workˈmaster or workˈmistress noun

An expert worker or craftsperson, overseer or employer

workˈmate noun

A companion at work, a workfellow

work of art noun

1. A painting, sculpture or other production in the fine arts, esp one of high quality
2. Anything constructed or composed with manifest skill

workout see work out below.

workˈpeople plural noun

People engaged in manual labour, workers

workˈpiece noun

1. A piece of work in progress, being manufactured
2. Something on which a tool or machine is working

workˈplace noun

The office, factory, etc where one works

workˈroom noun

A room for working in

works committee or works council noun

A body on which both employer and employees meet to handle labour relations within a business

work shadowing noun

The practice of shadowing a qualified worker as a means of gaining work experience

workˈ-sharing noun

Job-sharing

workˈsheet noun

1. A paper or form on which to detail work planned or performed
2. A sheet of paper used for making rough calculations or sketches
3. A paper with exercises to be completed by students

workˈshop noun

1. A room or building where work is done
2. A group of people working on a creative or experimental project
3. Such a project

transitive verb

To hold a workshop in (an activity)

workˈshy adjective

Hating or avoiding work, lazy (also plural noun)

workˈspace noun

1. A place where work is done
2. A location on a computer network where users can share files

workˈstation noun

1. (in an office or other workplace) a computer terminal having a keyboard, screen and processor, or the location of this
2. A computer with a high specification for eg computer aided design
3. (in a production line) a position at which a particular job is done (also as two words)

work study noun

A time and motion study

workˈtable noun

A table on which work is done, esp, formerly, a small table used by ladies at their needlework

workˈtop noun

A surface designed for working on, fitted eg along the top of kitchen units, etc

workˈwatcher noun (horse-racing; euphemistic)

A tout

workˈwear noun

Overalls or other clothing for work, issued to factory workers, etc

workweek see working week above.

workˈwoman noun

A woman who makes her living by manual labour

workˈy-day adjective and noun (obsolete)

Workaday

a work of time

A change, achievement, etc requiring or brought about by time

give someone the works (slang)

To give someone the full punitive, coercive, ceremonial, etc treatment considered appropriate to his or her case

have one's work cut out

1. To have one's work prescribed
2. To be faced with a difficult task

in working order

Functioning properly

make short work of

To accomplish, dispose of or consume speedily

Ministry (previously Office) of Works

Formerly, the body having the management and control of public works and buildings, the expenses of which are defrayed from public money

out of work

Without employment (outˈ-of-workˈ adjective and plural noun unemployed (people))

set to work

To employ in, or to engage energetically in, a piece of work

Seven Works of Corporal Mercy (RC)

To feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit prisoners, visit the sick, harbour strangers, bury the dead

Seven Works of Spiritual Mercy (RC)

To convert sinners, instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, console the afflicted, bear wrongs patiently, forgive injuries, pray for the living and the dead

shoot the works see under shoot¹

the works (informal)

Everything possible, available or going, the lot

work at

To apply oneself to

work back (Aust)

To work overtime

work double tides (nautical)

To work night and day

work for (or against)

To exert oneself in support of (or in opposition to)

work in

1. To intermix
2. To introduce carefully and deliberately
3. To cause to penetrate
4. (of workers) to continue at work, esp by occupying the premises and taking over the running of the business, as a protest against proposed factory closure, dismissal, etc (workˈ-in noun)

work into

1. To make way gradually into
2. To insinuate
3. To change or alter into

work off

1. To separate and throw off
2. To get rid of by effort and exertion, or little by little
3. To repay (a debt, etc) with one's labour rather than with money
4. To print ready for circulation
5. To pass or palm off (informal)
6. To dispose of by hanging (old slang)

work on or upon

1. To act or operate on
2. To try to perfect or improve
3. To use one's powers of persuasion on
4. To use (an assumption, hypothesis, etc) as a basis for planning, etc

work out

1. To solve or calculate
2. To develop in detail, elaborate
3. To study fully (rare)
4. To understand fully
5. To loosen or come out little by little
6. To turn out in the end
7. To reach a final (satisfactory) result
8. (of an athlete, etc) to train, exercise (workˈout noun)
9. To effect by continued labour
10. To expiate, to discharge (a debt or obligation) with one's labour (old)
11. To make by cutting, digging, etc (obsolete)
12. To exhaust (a mine)

work over

1. To do or work at thoroughly or elaborately
2. To examine in detail
3. To beat up, thrash (slang; workˈ-over or workˈing-over noun)

work through

To deal with (a problem, esp an emotional one) in one's own way, esp by absorption in it for some time

work to rule

(of workers) to observe all the regulations scrupulously for the express purpose of slowing down work, as a form of industrial action (workˈ-to-ruleˈ noun)

work up

1. (often in pap) to excite, agitate or rouse
2. To create by slow degrees
3. To summon up (an appetite, enthusiasm, energy, etc)
4. To expand, elaborate
5. To use up (eg material)
6. To give an irksome or needless task to (nautical)
7. To move upwards little by little
8. (with to) to reach or achieve, by effort and gradually