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work

n. C / U
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈwɝk// UK //wˈɜːk// work Archaic General-service Humorous Literary Slang

n. the job you do to earn money. It can also mean the tasks you need to do at your job or at home.

n. Activity involving mental or physical effort to achieve a result, often for payment. The term can also refer to the tasks required for a job, a place of employment, or a specific creation.


SIMPLE

I have a lot of work to do today.

CONTEXTUAL

Her work involves managing projects and leading a team of five people.

COMPLEX

The artist's later works are characterized by a profound melancholy, reflecting a shift in his personal philosophy and a departure from his earlier style.

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Usage

The noun is typically uncountable when referring to employment or effort ('I have work to do'). It is countable when referring to a specific creation ('a work of art').

Pitfall

I have many works to do.I have a lot of work to do.When referring to tasks or employment, 'work' is uncountable and cannot be pluralized. The plural 'works' refers to creations, like books or art.

Idioms42 entries

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