Chapter 1904

2. The matter on which one is at work; that upon which one spends labor; material for working upon; subject of exertion; the thing occupying one; business; duty; as, to take up one's work ; to drop one's work .

Come on, Nerissa; I have work in hand That you yet know not of. Shak.

In every work that he began . . . he did it with all his heart, and prospered. 2 Chron. xxxi. 21.

3. That which is produced as the result of labor; anything accomplished by exertion or toil; product; performance; fabric; manufacture; in a more general sense, act, deed, service, effect, result, achievement, feat.

To leave no rubs or blotches in the work . Shak.

The work some praise, And some the architect. Milton.

Fancy . . . Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams. Milton.

The composition or dissolution of mixed bodies . . . is the chief work of elements. Sir K. Digby.

4. Specifically: (a) That which is produced by mental labor; a composition; a book; as, a work , or the works , of Addison . (b) Flowers, figures, or the like, wrought with the needle; embroidery.

I am glad I have found this napkin; . . . I'll have the work ta'en out, And give 't Iago. Shak.

(c) pl. Structures in civil, military, or naval engineering, as docks, bridges, embankments, trenches, fortifications, and the like; also, the structures and grounds of a manufacturing establishment; as, iron works ; locomotive works ; gas works . (d) pl. The moving parts of a mechanism; as, the works of a watch.

5. Manner of working; management; treatment; as, unskillful work spoiled the effect .

Bp. Stillingfleet.

6. (Mech.) The causing of motion against a resisting force. The amount of work is proportioned to, and is measured by, the product of the force into the amount of motion along the direction of the force. See Conservation of energy , under Conservation , Unit of work , under Unit , also Foot pound , Horse power , Poundal , and Erg .

Energy is the capacity of doing work . . . Work is the transference of energy from one system to another. Clerk Maxwell.

7. (Mining) Ore before it is dressed.

Raymond.

8. pl. (Script.) Performance of moral duties; righteous conduct.

He shall reward every man according to his works . Matt. xvi. 27.

Faith, if it hath not works , is dead. James ii. 17.

Muscular work (Physiol.) , the work done by a muscle through the power of contraction. -- To go to work , to begin laboring; to commence operations; to contrive; to manage. "I 'll go another way to work with him." Shak . -- To set on work , to cause to begin laboring; to set to work. [Obs.] Hooker . -- To set to work , to employ; to cause to engage in any business or labor.

Work <Xpage=1664>

Work (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Worked (?) , or Wrought (<?/) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Working .] [AS. wyrcean (imp. worthe , wrohte , p. p. geworht , gewroht ); akin to OFries. werka , wirka , OS. wirkian , D. werken , G. wirken , Icel. verka , yrkja , orka , Goth. wa\'a3rkjan . \'fb145. See Work , n. ]

1. To exert one's self for a purpose; to put forth effort for the attainment of an object; to labor; to be engaged in the performance of a task, a duty, or the like.

O thou good Kent, how shall I live and work , To match thy goodness? Shak.

Go therefore now, and work ; for there shall no straw be given you. Ex. v. 18.

Whether we work or play, or sleep or wake, Our life doth pass. Sir J. Davies.

2. Hence, in a general sense, to operate; to act; to perform; as, a machine works well .

We bend to that the working of the heart. Shak.

3. Hence, figuratively, to be effective; to have effect or influence; to conduce.

We know that all things work together for good to them that love God. Rom. viii. 28.

This so wrought upon the child, that afterwards he desired to be taught. Locke.

She marveled how she could ever have been wrought upon to marry him. Hawthorne.

4. To carry on business; to be engaged or employed customarily; to perform the part of a laborer; to labor; to toil.

They that work in fine flax . . . shall be confounded. Isa. xix. 9.

5. To be in a state of severe exertion, or as if in such a state; to be tossed or agitated; to move heavily; to strain; to labor; as, a ship works in a heavy sea .

Confused with working sands and rolling waves. Addison.

6. To make one's way slowly and with difficulty; to move or penetrate laboriously; to proceed with effort; -- with a following preposition, as down , out , into , up , through , and the like; as, scheme works out by degrees; to work into the earth .

Till body up to spirit work , in bounds Proportioned to each kind. Milton.

7. To ferment, as a liquid.

The working of beer when the barm is put in. Bacon.

8. To act or operate on the stomach and bowels, as a cathartic.

Purges . . . work best, that is, cause the blood so to do, . . . in warm weather or in a warm room. Grew.

<page="1665"> Page 1665

To work at , to be engaged in or upon; to be employed in. -- To work to windward (Naut.) , to sail or ply against the wind; to tack to windward.

Mar. Dict.

Work <Xpage=1665>

Work (?) , v. t. 1. To labor or operate upon; to give exertion and effort to; to prepare for use, or to utilize, by labor.

He could have told them of two or three gold mines, and a silver mine, and given the reason why they forbare to work them at that time. Sir W. Raleigh.

2. To produce or form by labor; to bring forth by exertion or toil; to accomplish; to originate; to effect; as, to work wood or iron into a form desired, or into a utensil; to work cotton or wool into cloth.

Each herb he knew, that works or good or ill. Harte.

3. To produce by slow degrees, or as if laboriously; to bring gradually into any state by action or motion. "Sidelong he works his way."

Milton.

So the pure, limpid stream, when foul with stains Of rushing torrents and descending rains, Works itself clear, and as it runs, refines, Till by degrees the floating mirror shines. Addison.

4. To influence by acting upon; to prevail upon; to manage; to lead. " Work your royal father to his ruin."

Philips.

5. To form with a needle and thread or yarn; especially, to embroider; as, to work muslin .

6. To set in motion or action; to direct the action of; to keep at work; to govern; to manage; as, to work a machine .

Knowledge in building and working ships. Arbuthnot.

Now, Marcus, thy virtue's the proof; Put forth thy utmost strength, work every nerve. Addison.

The mariners all 'gan work the ropes, Where they were wont to do. Coleridge.

7. To cause to ferment, as liquor.

To work a passage (Naut.) , to pay for a passage by doing work. -- To work double tides (Naut.) , to perform the labor of three days in two; -- a phrase which alludes to a practice of working by the night tide as well as by the day. -- To work in , to insert, introduce, mingle, or interweave by labor or skill. -- To work into , to force, urge, or insinuate into; as, to work one's self into favor or confidence . -- To work off , to remove gradually, as by labor, or a gradual process; as, beer works off impurities in fermenting . -- To work out . (a) To effect by labor and exertion. " Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Phil. ii. 12 . (b) To erase; to efface. [R.]

Tears of joy for your returning spilt, Work out and expiate our former guilt. Dryden.

(c) To solve, as a problem. (d) To exhaust, as a mine, by working. -- To work up . (a) To raise; to excite; to stir up; as, to work up the passions to rage.

The sun, that rolls his chariot o'er their heads, Works up more fire and color in their cheeks. Addison.

(b) To expend in any work, as materials; as, they have worked up all the stock. (c) (Naut.) To make over or into something else, as yarns drawn from old rigging, made into spun yarn, foxes, sennit, and the like; also, to keep constantly at work upon needless matters, as a crew in order to punish them. R. H. Dana, Jr.

Workable <Xpage=1665>

Work"a*ble (?) , a. Capable of being worked, or worth working; as, a workable mine; workable clay .

Workaday <Xpage=1665>

Work"a*day` (?) , n. See Workyday .

Workbag <Xpage=1665>

Work"bag` (?) , n. A bag for holding implements or materials for work; especially, a reticule, or bag for holding needlework, and the like.

Workbasket <Xpage=1665>

Work"bas`ket (?) , n. A basket for holding materials for needlework, or the like.

Workbench <Xpage=1665>

Work"bench` (?) , n. A bench on which work is performed, as in a carpenter's shop.

Workbox <Xpage=1665>

Work"box` (?) , n. A box for holding instruments or materials for work.

Workday <Xpage=1665>

Work"day` (?) , n. & a. [AS. weorcd\'91g .] A day on which work is performed, as distinguished from Sunday, festivals, etc., a working day.

Worker <Xpage=1665>

Work"er (?) , n. 1. One who, or that which, works; a laborer; a performer; as, a worker in brass .

Professors of holiness, but workers of iniquity. Shak.

2. (Zo\'94l.) One of the neuter, or sterile, individuals of the social ants, bees, and white ants. The workers are generally females having the sexual organs imperfectly developed. See Ant , and White ant , under White .

Workfellow <Xpage=1665>

Work"fel`low (?) , n. One engaged in the same work with another; a companion in work.

Workfolk <Xpage=1665>

Work"folk` (?) , n. People that labor.

Workful <Xpage=1665>

Work"ful (?) , a. Full of work; diligent. [R.]

Workhouse <Xpage=1665>

Work"house` (?) , n. ; pl. Workhouses (#) . [AS. weorch<?/s .]

1. A house where any manufacture is carried on; a workshop.

2. A house in which idle and vicious persons are confined to labor.

3. A house where the town poor are maintained at public expense, and provided with labor; a poorhouse.

Working <Xpage=1665>

Work"ing , a & n. from Work .

The word must cousin be to the working . Chaucer.

Working beam . See Beam , n. 10. -- Working class , the class of people who are engaged in manual labor, or are dependent upon it for support; laborers; operatives; -- chiefly used in the plural. -- Working day . See under Day , n. -- Working drawing , a drawing, as of the whole or part of a structure, machine, etc., made to a scale, and intended to be followed by the workmen. Working drawings are either general or detail drawings. -- Working house , a house where work is performed; a workhouse. -- Working point (Mach.) , that part of a machine at which the effect required; the point where the useful work is done.

Working-day <Xpage=1665>

Work"ing-day (?) , a. Pertaining to, or characteristic of, working days, or workdays; everyday; hence, plodding; hard-working. <-- = workaday? -->

O, how full of briers in this working-day world. Shak.

Workingman <Xpage=1665>

Work"ing*man (?) , n. ; pl. Workingmen (<?/) . A laboring man; a man who earns his daily support by manual labor.

Workless <Xpage=1665>

Work"less , a. 1. Without work; not laboring; as, many people were still workless .

2. Not carried out in practice; not exemplified in fact; as, workless faith . [Obs.]

Sir T. More.

Workman <Xpage=1665>

Work"man (?) , n. ; pl. Workmen (#) . [AS. weorcmann .]

1. A man employed in labor, whether in tillage or manufactures; a worker.

2. Hence, especially, a skillful artificer or laborer.

Workmanlike <Xpage=1665>

Work"man*like` (?) , a. Becoming a workman, especially a skillful one; skillful; well performed.

Workmanly <Xpage=1665>

Work"man*ly , a. Becoming a skillful workman; skillful; well performed; workmanlike.

Workmanly <Xpage=1665>

Work"man*ly , adv. In a skillful manner; in a manner becoming a skillful workman.

Shak.

Workmanship <Xpage=1665>

Work"man*ship , n. 1. The art or skill of a workman; the execution or manner of making anything.

Due reward For her praiseworthy workmanship to yield. Spenser.

Beauty is nature's brag, and must be shown . . . Where most may wonder at the workmanship . Milton.

2. That which is effected, made, or produced; manufacture, something made by manual labor.

Not any skilled in workmanship embossed. Spenser.

By how much Adam exceeded all men in perfection, by being the immediate workmanship of God. Sir W. Raleigh.

Workmaster <Xpage=1665>

Work"mas`ter (?) , n. The performer of any work; a master workman. [R.]

Spenser.

Workroom <Xpage=1665>

Work"room` (?) , n. Any room or apartment used especially for labor.

Workship <Xpage=1665>

Work"ship , n. Workmanship. [R.]

Workshop <Xpage=1665>

Work"shop` (?) , n. A shop where any manufacture or handiwork is carried on.

Worktable <Xpage=1665>

Work"ta`ble (?) , n. A table for holding working materials and implements; esp., a small table with drawers and other conveniences for needlework, etc.

Workwoman <Xpage=1665>

Work"wom`an (?) , n. ; pl. Workwomen (<?/) , n. A woman who performs any work; especially, a woman skilled in needlework.

Workyday <Xpage=1665>

Work"y*day` (?) , n. [See Workday , Workingday .] A week day or working day, as distinguished from Sunday or a holiday. Also used adjectively. [Written also workiday , and workaday .] [Obs. or Colloq.]

Prithee, tell her but a workyday fortune. Shak.

World <Xpage=1665>

World (?) , n. [OE. world , werld , weorld , weoreld , AS. weorold , worold ; akin to OS. werold , D. wereld , OHG. weralt , worolt , werolt , werlt , G. welt , Icel. ver\'94ld , Sw. verld , Dan. verden ; properly, the age of man, lifetime, humanity; AS. wer a man + a word akin to E. old ; cf. AS. yld lifetime, age, ylde men, humanity. Cf. Werewolf , Old .]

1. The earth and the surrounding heavens; the creation; the system of created things; existent creation; the universe.

The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen. Rom. 1. 20.

With desire to know, What nearer might concern him, how this world Of heaven and earth conspicuous first began. Milton.

2. Any planet or heavenly body, especially when considered as inhabited, and as the scene of interests analogous with human interests; as, a plurality of worlds . "Lord of the worlds above."

I. Watts.

Amongst innumerable stars, that shone Star distant, but high-hand seemed other worlds . Milton.

There may be other worlds , where the inhabitants have never violated their allegiance to their almighty Sovereign. W. B. Sprague.

3. The earth and its inhabitants, with their concerns; the sum of human affairs and interests.

That forbidden tree, whose mortal taste Brought death into the world , and all our woe. Milton.

4. In a more restricted sense, that part of the earth and its concerns which is known to any one, or contemplated by any one; a division of the globe, or of its inhabitants; human affairs as seen from a certain position, or from a given point of view; also, state of existence; scene of life and action; as, the Old World ; the New World ; the religious world ; the Catholic world ; the upper world ; the future world ; the heathen world .

One of the greatest in the Christian world Shall be my surety. Shak.

Murmuring that now they must be put to make war beyond the world's end -- for so they counted Britain. Milton.

5. The customs, practices, and interests of men; general affairs of life; human society; public affairs and occupations; as, a knowledge of the world .

Happy is she that from the world retires. Waller.

If knowledge of the world makes man perfidious, May Juba ever live in ignorance. Addison.

6. Individual experience of, or concern with, life; course of life; sum of the affairs which affect the individual; as, to begin the world with no property; to lose all, and begin the world anew .

7. The inhabitants of the earth; the human race; people in general; the public; mankind.

Since I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it. Shak.

Tell me, wench, how will the world repute me For undertaking so unstaid a journey? Shak.

8. The earth and its affairs as distinguished from heaven; concerns of this life as distinguished from those of the life to come; the present existence and its interests; hence, secular affairs; engrossment or absorption in the affairs of this life; worldly corruption; the ungodly or wicked part of mankind.

I pray not for the world , but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. John xvii. 9.

Love not the world , neither the things that are in the world . If any man love the world , the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world , the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world . 1 John ii. 15, 16.

9. As an emblem of immensity, a great multitude or quantity; a large number. "A world of men." Chapman . "A world of blossoms for the bee."

Bryant.

Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company. Shak.

A world of woes dispatched in little space. Dryden.

All . . . in the world , all that exists; all that is possible; as, all the precaution in the world would not save him . -- A world to see , a wonder to see; something admirable or surprising to see. [Obs.]

O, you are novices; 't is a world to see How tame, when men and women are alone, A meacock wretch can make the curstest shrew. Shak.