# task

/ˈtæsk/ (US) · /tˈɑːsk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/task
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 5. to strain or burden

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary · Formal

to put a lot of pressure on someone or something by giving them too much to do.

For teachers: to impose a heavy burden upon or to test the limits of a person's powers or resources.

- The long climb up the mountain really tasked his strength.
- The sudden influx of refugees tasked the small town's resources to their absolute limit, requiring immediate intervention from the central government.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice or to describe straining abstract qualities like 'patience' or 'resources'.

Teaching tip: In modern English, 'tax' is often used as a synonym in this specific sense.

## Examples

- My first task today is to answer all my emails.
- The manager assigned each team member a specific task to ensure the project finished on time.
- Modern operating systems are designed to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, allocating CPU resources efficiently to prevent any single process from monopolizing the hardware.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.