Defn: 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)
Defn: Ore before it is dressed. Raymond.
8. pl. (Script.)
Defn: 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 Work, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Worked, or Wrought (; p. pr. & vb. n. Working.] Etym: [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. waúrkjan. *145. 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.