workpeople
1592
work·peo·ple /'w3:k,pi:pəl||'w3:rk-/ n [P] BrE workers who
are employed, especially in a factory
work·place /'w3:kpleɪs||'w3:rk-/ n [C; the+S] the room or
building in which workers perform their work: the enforce-
ment of health and safety precautions at the workplace
'work re,lease n [U] AmE a system in which a prisoner is
allowed to work outside a prison
work·room /'w3:kru:m, -ru:m||'w3:rk-/ n a room which is
specially kept for working in, especially on a certain sort of
work: a photographic workroom
works /w3:ks||w3:rks/ n pl. works 1 [the+P] the moving
parts (of a machine) → see also a spanner in the works
(SPANNER) 2 [C] (often in comb.) an industrial place of work;
factory: a dye works | the works canteen → see also GAS-
WORKS, WAXWORKS 3 [the+P] infml everything: The whole
works – rod, line, basket, everything fell into the water. | OK,
give me the works. (=tell me everything) 4 give someone
the works slang to attack someone violently, physically, or
with words → see also CLERK OF WORKS, PUBLIC WORKS
work·shop /'w3:kʃɒp||'w3:rkʃɑ:p/ n 1 a room or area, e.g.
in a factory or business, where heavy repairs and jobs on
machines are done: I'll have to send the broken sewing
machine away to the workshop. 2 an occasion when a group
of people meet and work together in order to share and
develop ideas about a particular subject or activity: a drama
workshop | a two-day workshop on management techniques
work·shy /'w3:kʃaɪ||'w3:rk-/ adj derog not liking work and
habitually trying to avoid it
work·sta·tion /'w3:k,steɪʃən||'w3:rk-/ n an area in which a
single person can work in an office, consisting e.g. of a desk
with a small computer that is usually connected to a large
central computer
'work-,study n [U] the skill or practice of making work more
productive in less time by examining the way things are
done by workers and suggesting improvement
'work·study ,program n AmE a system of allowing students
to work part-time in order to gain experience and earn
money
'work ,surface n a worktop
work·top /'w3:ktɒp||'w3:rktɑ:p/ usually counter, coun-
tertop AmE — n a flat surface on top of a piece of kitchen
furniture, used for doing work on, such as preparing a meal
,work-to-'rule n BrE a form of working which reduces
activity or production because careful attention is paid to
every point in the rules, even when unnecessary, done in
order to support a claim for more money etc → compare
GO-SLOW; see also work to rule (WORK)
world /w3:ld||w3:rld/ n 1 [the] the body in space on which
we live; the Earth: the richest man in the world | the world's
tallest building | She has sailed round the world. (compare A
satellite goes round the Earth.) English is a world language –
it is spoken all over the world. (=in many parts of the
world) | a world-famous musician (=known all over the
world) 2 [C] a PLANET or star system, especially one which
may contain life: a strange creature from another
world 3 [the+S] a group of living things: the animal
world 4 [the+S] a part or area of the world that has a
particular character: the developing world | This country has
the lowest taxes in the industrialized world. 5 [the+S] a par-
ticular area of human activity: the world of football/show
business | a well-known character in the business
world 6 [the+S] people generally; the public: Keep quiet; we
don't want the whole world to know about it. | The world
waited anxiously for the results of the peace talks. 7 [the+S]
human life and its affairs: He's very young and inexperienced,
and doesn't know about the ways of the world. | She has
brought four children into the world. (=given birth to four
children) | a man/woman of the world (=with plenty of
experience of life) 8 [the+S] fml material standards and prin-
ciples, rather than those of the spirit: monks renouncing
things of the world 9 [(the)S+of] a large number or amount:
There's a world of difference between thinking about it and
doing it. | The medicine did me a/the world of good.
(=made me feel much better) 10 all the world to very
important to: My family is/means all the world to me. 11 for
all the world as if/like exactly as if/like: He goes around
giving orders to everyone, for all the world as if he owns the
company! 12 in the world (in a question expressing sur-
prise): Where in the world (=wherever) could he be? | What in
the world (=whatever) are you doing? 13 not for the world
certainly not: I wouldn't hurt her for the world. 14 not long
for this world euph or humor about to die 15 out of this world
infml unusually good; wonderful 16 worlds apart completely
different: Their ways of life are worlds apart. 17 world
without end (in prayers) for ever 18 (it's a) small world
spoken said when you are surprised because you have met
someone you know who it was very unlikely that you would
meet, or when you have found out that someone is con-
nected to you in a way that you did not expect: 'Guess who
we saw as we were driving out of the carpark – Carl!' 'Small
world, eh?' | It's such a small world! I met a friend of a friend
at a party in London recently, who taught English in Singa-
pore with one of my friends from high school. 19 in a world
of your own not noticing what is happening around you
because you are thinking about your own feelings, prob-
lems, interests etc: Kerry seemed to be living in a world of her
own in the weeks before she killed herself. | Chris didn't really
say anything interesting, and Dad just sat there in a world of
his own. → see also FREE WORLD, NEW WORLD, OLD WORLD,
THIRD WORLD, best of both worlds/of all possible worlds
(BEST³), dead to the world (DEAD¹), all the world's a stage
(STAGE), think the world of (THINK OF), on top of the world
(TOP)
,World 'Almanac AmE trademark a large book produced each
year in the US, giving short accounts of the news that has
happened during the year and also information on politics,
history, sport, medicine, entertainment etc. Several different
PUBLISHERS produce a World Almanac.
,World 'Bank, the an organization that is part of the UN
(United Nations), which lends money to poorer countries so
that they can develop their farming, industry, and health
and education systems. Its official name is the International
Bank for Reconstruction and Development. → compare IMF
'world-,beater n a person or thing that is thought to be able
to compete successfully with anyone/anything in the world:
This runner/new invention is a world-beater.
,world-'class adj among the best in the world: That cricketer
is world-class.
World-Com /'w3:ldkɒm||'w3:rldkɑ:m/ a large US telephone
company that caused major problems when it pretended that
its profits were billions of dollars more than they really were.
This was one of the most serious cases of FRAUD ever in the
US, and made many people stop trusting large corporations.
,World ,Council of 'Churches, the an international
Christian organization that encourages friendship and
understanding among different Christian religious groups. It
has more than 300 churches as members, and its main
offices are in Geneva.
,World 'Cup, the 1 the most important international com-
petition in football (SOCCER), which is held every four years
in a different country. Teams representing most countries in
the world first play a series of games to decide which 32 teams
will play in the World Cup event itself. These teams then play
against each other until there are two teams left who play in
the World Cup Final. The winners receive a gold cup called
the 'Jules Rimet Trophy'. 2 a similar international competi-
tion in some other sports, such as CRICKET or RUGBY
,world-'famous adj internationally well-known: a world-
famous event/singer
,World 'Health Organi,zation, the abbrev. WHO an
international organization that is part of the UN (United
Nations), which helps countries improve their people's
health by giving medicines and providing information and
education about diseases, IMMUNIZATION etc
world·ly /'w3:ldli||'w3:r-/ adj 1 [A] of the material world: all
my worldly goods (=everything I own) | worldly success 2 often
derog concerned with or experienced in the ways of society
not SPIRITUAL → opposite UNWORLDLY; compare OTHER
WORLDLY —liness n [U]
,worldly-'wise /li'.. ./ adj experienced in the ways of society:
I'm too worldly-wise to expect too much of human nature.
'world ,music n [U] fashionable music which is not from