Wordsworth, William 1590
Words·worth, William /'wɜ:dzwəθ||'wɜ:rdzwɜ:rθ/ (1770–1850) a British ROMANTIC poet whose poems are mainly about the beauty of nature. They often describe the countryside in the LAKE DISTRICT in northwest England, where he went to live in the village of Grasmere with his sister, Dorothy Wordsworth (1771–1855), who was also a writer. His best-known book of poetry is Lyrical Ballads, which was written with Samuel Taylor COLERIDGE, and his most famous poems include Daffodils and The Prelude.
word·y /'wɜ:di||'wɜ:rdi/ adj derog using or containing more words than are needed; VERBOSE: a wordy explanation —ily adv —iness n [U] Avoid wordiness in your exam answers.
wore /wɔ:r/ past tense of WEAR
work¹ /wɜ:k||wɜ:rk/ n 1 [U] activity in which effort of the body or mind is used to produce something or gain a result, rather than for amusement: skilled/unskilled work | She put a lot of (hard) work into writing that report. | Work on the new tunnel will begin in January. | The pupils complained that their teacher set them too much work. | He has been highly praised for the work he has done in genetic engineering. 2 [U] (the nature or place of) a job or business: 'What's your work/What work do you do?' 'I'm a reporter.'/'I work in television.'/'I do freelance work/repair work.' | I go to work by train. | Hurry up! You'll be late for work. | school-leavers looking for work (=trying to find jobs) | What time do you get home from work? | Are your employers insured for accidents (happening) at work? | Foreigners need a work permit (=official permission to work) to get employment in the country. → see also JOB (USAGE) 3 [U] the subject, material etc one is working on: I hear you've changed jobs; is the work more interesting at the new place? | I'm taking some work home to do this evening. | Don't stay inside to do your sewing; bring your work out with you. 4 [U] what is produced by work, especially of the hands: This mat is my own work. (=I made it) | (fig.) This savage murder is clearly the work of a madman. 5 [C usually pl.] an object produced by writing, painting etc: Shakespeare's works include plays and poems. 6 [U] tech force multiplied by distance 7 all in a/the day's work as expected; which can be done without great difficulty; not unusual 8 all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy saying a person who spends all his time working will be a dull and uninteresting companion 9 at work (on) doing something, especially work: Danger; men at work (on this road)! 10 go/set to work (on) to start doing something 11 have one's work cut out to have something difficult to do, especially in the time allowed: He's got/He'll have his work cut out to finish that by Friday. 12 in work/out of work having a job/unemployed 13 -work a) work done using the stated materials or tools: woodwork b) something produced by doing such work: paintwork → see also DIRTY WORK, DONKEY WORK, LIFE'S WORK, PIECE OF WORK, SOCIAL WORK, WORKS, make short work of (SHORT)
Work can be used as a general word for all activities of the mind or body: I'm at work on a new poem. | Digging the garden is hard work. For tiring and unpleasant work, labour or (less common and more formal) toil can be used: Clearing the field of stones took ten days of backbreaking labour/toil. If the work is tiring, uninteresting, and not respected, drudgery can be used.
work² v 1 [(at, on)] to do an activity which uses effort, especially as one's job: She works in a factory/for the council/as a bus driver. | I'm working on a new book. | I spent the whole weekend working in the garden. | He's still not very good at speaking English, but he's working at it. (=trying hard) | The builders worked closely with the architect in the construction of the offices. → see also WORKING 2 [I] (of a plan, machine, or moving part) to operate in the proper way; perform the expected job without failing: Does this light work? | The clock hasn't been working since I dropped it on the floor. | Your idea won't work in practice. | It works by electricity. | Can you explain to me how the banking system works? → compare GO 3 [T+obj+adv/prep] to make (a person) do work: They work us too hard in this office. 4 [T] to make (a machine) operate: Working these heavy presses is very tiring. | How do you work the gears on this bike? | It's worked by electricity. 5 [T+obj+adv/prep] to make (one's way) by work or effort: He worked his way to the front of the crowd. | She worked her way through college. (=paid for herself to go to college by working) 6 [I+adv/adv/prep;T+obj+adj/adv/prep] to (cause to) reach a state or position by small movements: This little screw has worked (itself) loose. | (fig.) He worked himself into a temper. | (fig.) They're gradually working round to our point of view. 7 [T] to produce (an effect): This medicine works wonders/miracles. 8 [T] infml to arrange, especially unofficially: How did you work it? Two days' extra holiday: I'll try and work it so that we can all go together. 9 [I+adv/prep] to produce a particular effect or result: She found that her lack of experience worked against her in trying to get a job. 10 [T often pass.] to stitch: a baby's dress worked by hand 11 [I] tech for FERMENT 12 work one's fingers to the bone to work very hard 13 work to rule BrE to obey the rules of one's work so exactly that one causes inconvenience to others, in order to support a claim for more money, shorter working hours etc → see also WORKER, WORK-TO-RULE
To make this word stronger you can use hard: He worked hard/very hard/very hard indeed
work sthg ⇔ in phr v [T(to)] to include, by a clever arrangement of words: I'll try to work in a mention of the help you gave. | He worked a mention of her into his speech.
work sthg ⇔ off phr v [T] to get rid of, by work or activity: He worked off his anger by chopping some logs. | I have three years to work off the debt.
work on sthg ⇔ phr v [T] to give one's attention to doing or trying to do: 'Have you drawn up that list of names yet?' 'No, but I'm working on it.'
work out phr v 1 [T] (work sthg ⇔ out) to find by reasoning or calculating: Have you worked out the answer/the sum yet? | [+wh-] Try and work out how much it will all cost. | The police couldn't work out how the thieves had entered the building. | [+that] She'd worked out that it would cost over £100. 2 [I] to have a good result; be successful for a long time: I hope the new job works out for you. | My affair with her was fun while it lasted, but I could see it was never going to work out. 3 [I+adv/prep] to have a result; develop; TURN OUT: I wonder how their ideas worked out in practice? | We didn't plan it like that but it worked out very well. 4 [T] (work sthg ⇔ out) to plan or decide: I've drawn up the main outlines, and we'll work out the details later. | [+wh-] I can't work out how to do it. | a carefully worked-out plan 5 [(at);L+adj] to reach a (stated) result or amount by being calculated: The sum won't/doesn't work out. (=I can't find the answer to it) | The cost works out at about $20 per person. | If we go by plane it will work out rather expensive. 6 [I] infml to exercise to improve physical fitness: She's working out in the gym. → see also WORKOUT 7 [T] (work sthg ⇔ out) to complete the use of (especially a mine): The mine was worked out years ago.
work sbdy ⇔ over phr v [T] slang to attack violently
work up phr v 1 [T] (work sbdy ⇔ up) to excite the feelings, especially anger, tears etc, of: The politician worked the crowd up until they were shouting and cheering. | He'd worked himself up into a terrible state about the coming exam. → see also WORKED UP 2 [T] (work sthg ⇔ up) to cause oneself to have; develop: I've worked up quite a thirst playing tennis. | I'm afraid I can't work up much enthusiasm for this scheme. 3 [(to)] to move or develop (towards): She's working up to what she wants to say. 4 [T(into)] (work sthg ⇔ up) to complete (a study) gradually: I'm hoping to work up these notes into a book.
work·a·ble /'wɜ:kəbəl||'wɜ:r-/ adj 1 which can be put into effect; usable: a workable timetable/system 2 (of a substance) which can be shaped with the hands: workable clay for making pots
work·a·day /'wɜ:kədeɪ||'wɜ:r-/ adj [A] ordinary and/or dull: this workaday world
work·a·hol·ic /ˌwɜ:kə'hɒlɪk || ˌwɜ:rkə'hɑ:l-/ n infml, often derog a person who likes to work too hard or is unable to stop working and does not have time in their life for anything else, such as personal relationships: She's a complete workaholic – her job is her whole life! —ism /'wɜ:kəhɒlɪzəm||'wɜ:rkəhɑ:l-/ n [U]
work·bag /'wɜ:kbæg||'wɜ:rk-/ n a bag for tools and objects used in activities with the hands, such as sewing
Work-based Learning for Adults n [U] a British