working

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work·ing

(wûr′kĭng)

adj.

a. Performing work: a working committee.

b. Operating or functioning as required: a working flashlight.

2. Having a paying job; employed: working mothers.

a. Spent at work: a working life of 40 years.

b. Taken while continuing to work: a working vacation.

a. Sufficient to allow action: a working majority.

b. Adequate for practical use: a working knowledge of Spanish.

5. Serving as a basis or guide for further work: a working hypothesis.

n. often workings

1. The manner in which something operates or functions: the workings of the mind.

2. The parts of a mine or quarry that have been or are being excavated.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

working

(ˈwɜːkɪŋ)

1. the operation or mode of operation of something

2. the act or process of moulding something pliable

3. (Pathology) a convulsive or jerking motion, as from excitement

4. (Mining & Quarrying) (often plural) a part of a mine or quarry that is being or has been worked

5. (Mining & Quarrying) (plural) the whole system of excavations in a mine

6. (Mathematics) a record of the steps by which the result of a calculation or the solution of a problem is obtained: all working is to be submitted to the examiners.

7. rare slow advance against or as if against resistance

adj (prenominal)

8. relating to or concerned with a person or thing that works: a working man.

9. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms) concerned with, used in, or suitable for work: working clothes.

10. (Commerce) (of a meal or occasion) during which business discussions are carried on: working lunch; working breakfast.

11. capable of being operated or used: a working model.

12. sufficiently large or accurate to be useful or to accomplish a desired end: a working majority; a working knowledge of German.

13. (of a theory, etc) providing a basis, usually a temporary one, on which operations or procedures may be carried out

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

work•ing

(ˈwɜr kɪŋ)

n.

1. the act of a person or thing that works.

2. operation; action: the involuted workings of his mind.

3. the process of shaping a material: the working of damp clay.

4. Usu., workings. a part of a mine, quarry, or the like in which work is carried on.

5. the process of fermenting, as of yeasts.

6. a slow advance involving exertion.

7. twitching, flexing, or twisting motions: the agitated working of his jaw muscles.

8. repeated movement or strain tending to loosen a structural assembly or part.

adj.

a. engaged in some form of work, esp. manual labor, for a living: the working people of this community.

b. employed outside the home while fulfilling major domestic responsibilities: working wives and mothers.

10. serving to permit or facilitate continued work: a working model; a working majority.

11. adequate for usual or customary needs: a working knowledge of Spanish.

12. organized for some kind of work, as for a cause or project: a working party.

13. done, taken, etc., while conducting or discussing business: a working lunch.

[1250–1300]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	working - a mine or quarry that is being or has been worked workings excavation - a hole in the ground made by excavating
Adj.	1.	working - actively engaged in paid work; "the working population"; "the ratio of working men to unemployed"; "a working mother"; "robots can be on the job day and night" on the job employed - having your services engaged for; or having a job especially one that pays wages or a salary; "most of our graduates are employed"
	2.	working - adequate for practical use; especially sufficient in strength or numbers to accomplish something; "the party has a working majority in the House"; "a working knowledge of Spanish" practical - concerned with actual use or practice; "he is a very practical person"; "the idea had no practical application"; "a practical knowledge of Japanese"; "woodworking is a practical art"
	3.	working - adopted as a temporary basis for further work; "a working draft"; "a working hypothesis" impermanent, temporary - not permanent; not lasting; "politics is an impermanent factor of life"- James Thurber; "impermanent palm cottages"; "a temperary arrangement"; "temporary housing"
	4.	working - (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing; "in running (or working) order"; "a functional set of brakes" operative, running, functional functioning - performing or able to perform its regular function; "a functioning flashlight"
	5.	working - serving to permit or facilitate further work or activity; "discussed the working draft of a peace treaty"; "they need working agreements with their neighbor states on interstate projects" operative - being in force or having or exerting force; "operative regulations"; "the major tendencies operative in the American political system"

working

adjective

1. employed, labouring, in work, in a job Like most working women, I use a lot of convenience foods.

2. functioning, going, running, operating, active, operative, operational, functional, usable, serviceable, in working order the oldest working steam engine in the world

3. effective, useful, practical, sufficient, adequate I used to have a good working knowledge of French.

plural noun

1. operation, running, action, method, functioning, manner, mode of operation computer systems which mimic the workings of the human brain

2. mine, pit, shaft, quarry, excavations, diggings housing which was built over old mine workings

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

working

adjective

1. In action or full operation:

active, alive, functioning, going, operating, operative, running.

2. Having a job:

employed, hired, jobholding, retained.

noun

The way in which a machine or other thing performs or functions.Often used in plural:

behavior, functioning, operation, performance, reaction.

Translations

κουλτούρα

hábil obrero

culture effort marche requête

funzionante laborioso lavorativo

рабочий

deloven

working

[ˈwɜːkɪŋ]

A. ADJ

1. (= economically active) [person] → trabajador, que trabaja; [population] → activo
working mothers → madres fpl trabajadoras, madres fpl que trabajan
the working man → el hombre trabajador or que trabaja
the working woman → la mujer trabajadora or que trabaja
ordinary working people → gente trabajadora normal y corriente
he's a working dog → es un perro de trabajo or labor

2. (= relating to work) [conditions, practice, environment, week] → laboral; [life] → laboral, activo; [day] → laborable; [breakfast, lunch] → de trabajo; [clothes] → de faena, de trabajo
your order will be sent within three working days (Brit) → su pedido será despachado en un plazo de tres días laborables
my working day begins at eight a.m → mi jornada (laboral or de trabajo) empieza a las ocho de la mañana
during working hours → durante horas de trabajo
working patterns → pautas fpl laborales, pautas fpl de trabajo

3. (= provisional) [title, definition] → momentáneo, provisional
working hypothesis → hipótesis f inv de trabajo

4. (= functioning) [farm, mill, steam train] → en funcionamiento
to have a working knowledge of sth → tener conocimientos básicos de algo
to be in working order → funcionar perfectamente

B. N

1. (= operation) [of machine, engine, computer] → funcionamiento m; [of mine] → explotación f

2. workings

2.1. [of organization, parliament] → forma f de funcionar; [of machine, engine, computer] (= operation, way of working) → funcionamiento m; (= mechanism) → mecanismo m
the workings of his mind → su forma de pensar

2.2. (= mine) → mina fsing; (= excavations) → excavaciones fpl

C. CPD working assets NPL (Comm, Fin) → activo m circulante
working capital N (Comm, Fin) → capital m circulante, capital m de explotación
the working class(es) N(PL) → la clase obrera, la clase trabajadora
see also working-class working expenses NPL → gastos mpl de explotación
working face N → cara f de trabajo
working group N → grupo m de trabajo (on sobre) working holiday N vacaciones en las que se combina el trabajo con el ocio
working majority N (Pol) → mayoría f suficiente
working model N → modelo m articulado
working paper N → documento m de trabajo
working parts NPL → partes fpl activas
working partner N → socio m activo
working party N = working group working relationship N → relación f de trabajo
they have a good working relationship → tienen una buena relación de trabajo, trabajan bien juntos
working vacation N (US) = working holiday

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

working

[ˈwɜː^rkɪŋ]

adj

(= employed) [wife, mother] → qui travaille; [population] → actif/ive
children with working mothers → les enfants dont les mères travaillent

(= working-class) → qui travaille

[hours, practices, clothes] → de travail
working life → vie f professionnelle
He started his working life as a truck driver
BUT Il a commencé à travailler comme camionneur.
during all my working life → pendant toute ma vie professionnelle
during working hours → pendant les heures de travail
better working conditions → meilleures conditions de travail

(= functioning) [farm, business] → en exploitation; [model] → fonctionnel(le); [parts] → fonctionnel(le)
in working order → en état de marche
to have a working knowledge of sth → posséder des rudiments de qch

(= provisional) [title] → provisoire; [document] → de travail workings

npl [organization, brain] → mécanismes mpl; [system, machine] → rouages mpl
the workings of government → les rouages du gouvernementworking capital n → fonds mpl de roulementworking class n
the working class → la classe ouvrière
the working classes → les classes fpl laborieusesworking-class working class [ˌwɜː^rkɪŋˈklɑːs] adj [background, origins, accent, family, community] → ouvrier/ière
a self-educated man from a working-class background → un autodidacte issu d'un milieu ouvrierworking day n (mainly British)

(= day of work) → journée f de travail

(= weekday) → jour m de travailworking group n → groupe m de travailworking holiday n (British) vacances mises à profit pour effectuer une activité rémunéréeworking man n → salarié mworking party n (British) → groupe m de travailworking relationship n → relations fpl de travail
to have a good working relationship → avoir de bonnes relations de travail
to have a good working relationship with sb → avoir de bonnes relations de travail avec qnworking week n → semaine f de travailwork in progress n → travaux mpl en courswork/life balance n → équilibre m entre vie professionnelle et vie privée

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

working

adj

(= engaged in work) population → arbeitend, berufstätig; (Comm) partner → aktiv; working man → Arbeiter m; I’m a working man, I need my rest → ich arbeite den ganzen Tag, ich brauche meine Ruhe; working wives → berufstätige Ehefrauen pl; working woman → berufstätige Frau

(= spent in or used for working) → Arbeits-; working conditions → Arbeitsbedingungen pl; working hours → Arbeitszeit f; during working hours → während der Arbeitszeit; your order will be sent within three working days → ihre Bestellung wird innerhalb von drei Werktagen geschickt

(= provisional) → Arbeits-; (= sufficient) majority → arbeitsfähig; to have a working majority → eine arbeitsfähige Mehrheit haben; working hypothesis → Arbeitshypothese f; in working order → funktionsfähig; in good/perfect working order → voll funktionsfähig; working knowledge → Grundkenntnisse pl

farm, mill, sailing ship, steam train → in Betrieb

(= work) → Arbeiten nt, → Arbeit f

workings pl (= way sth works) → Arbeitsweise f, → Funktionsweise f; workings of fate → Wege pl → des Schicksal; workings of the mind → Gedankengänge pl; in order to understand the workings of this machine/system → um zu verstehen, wie die Maschine/das System funktioniert

workings pl (Min) → Schächte pl, → Gänge pl; (of quarry) → Grube f

working

working assets

pl (Econ) → Betriebsvermögen nt

working capital

n → Betriebskapital nt

working class

n (also working classes) → Arbeiterklasse f

working-class

adj → der Arbeiterklasse; (pej) → ordinär, proletenhaft; to be working → zur Arbeiterklasse gehören; working culture → Arbeiterkultur f

working companion

n → Arbeitskamerad(in) m(f)

working condition

(Tech) → Betriebszustand m

workings pl → Arbeitsbedingungen pl

working copy

n → Arbeitsexemplar nt

working dinner

n = working lunch

working directory

n (Comput) → Arbeitsverzeichnis nt

working dog

n → Arbeitshund m, Hund, der für bestimmte Aufgaben abgerichtet ist

working expenses

pl (Econ) → Betriebskosten pl

working girl

n (euph) → Prostituierte f

working group

n → Arbeitsgruppe f, → Arbeitskreis m

working holiday

n (Brit) Urlaub, in dem eine bezahlte Tätigkeit ausgeübt wird

working hour

n → Arbeitsstunde f; workings pl → Arbeitszeit f; reduction in or of workings → Arbeitszeitverkürzung f

working life

n (of machine part) → Lebensdauer f; (of animal) → Nutzungsdauer f; (of person) → Berufsleben nt

working lunch

n → Arbeitsessen nt

working materials

pl → Arbeitsmittel pl

working memory

n (Comput) → Arbeitsspeicher m

working men’s club

n (Brit) → Arbeiterklub m

working morale

n → Arbeitsmoral f

working-out

n (of a plan etc) → Ausarbeitung f; (of a question etc) → Lösung f

working-over

n (inf) → Abreibung f (inf); to give somebody a good working → jdm eine tüchtige Abreibung verpassen (inf)

working papers

pl (Econ) → Arbeitspapiere pl

working party

n → (Arbeits)ausschuss m

working pool

n → Arbeitsgemeinschaft f

working power

n → Arbeitskraft f

working relationship

n → Zusammenarbeit f; to have a good working with somebody → mit jdm gut zusammenarbeiten

working title

n → Arbeitstitel m

working vacation

n (US) = working holiday

working visa

n (US) → Arbeitserlaubnis f

working week

n → Arbeitswoche f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

working

[ˈwɜːkɪŋ] adj (day) → feriale; (week) → lavorativo/a; (tools, conditions, lunch) → di lavoro; (clothes) → da lavoro; (mother) → che lavora; (partner) → attivo/a
an 8-hour working day → una giornata lavorativa di 8 ore
working knowledge → conoscenza pratica
in working order → funzionante
see also workings

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

His pretty, boyish face, with a twist of fresh grass bound round his hair, was all working with effort; but whenever anyone looked at him he smiled.

If he had been asked how long he had been working he would have said half an hour-- and it was getting on for dinner time.

View in context

It has been remarked that a skilful workman, with fitting tools and measures, would find it very difficult to make cells of wax of the true form, though this is perfectly effected by a crowd of bees working in a dark hive.

Now bees, as may be clearly seen by examining the edge of a growing comb, do make a rough, circumferential wall or rim all round the comb; and they gnaw into this from the opposite sides, always working circularly as they deepen each cell.

View in context

"Yet Split-Nose said no; that he did not want to go back, but ahead; that they grew strong only as they added their strength together; and that, if the Fish-Eaters would add their strength to the Meat-Eaters, there would be no more fighting and no more watchers and no more guards, and that, with all men working, there would be so much food that each man would have to work not more than two hours a day.

View in context

Adrienne at length, by dint of excessive toil, by working deep into the nights, by stinting herself of food, and by means of having disposed of the last article with which she could possibly part, had managed to support her grandmother and herself, until she saw me so far done as to be within another day's work of completion.

View in context

It was piecework, and she was apt to have a family to keep alive; and stern and ruthless economic laws had arranged it that she could only do this by working just as she did, with all her soul upon her work, and with never an instant for a glance at the well-dressed ladies and gentlemen who came to stare at her, as at some wild beast in a menagerie.

View in context

You know nothing, and worse than nothing, about the working class.

View in context

I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

View in context

As a result, he concentrated with a similar singleness of purpose, greedily snapping up the hints and suggestions thrown out by his working mate.

View in context

In later times the modest version in the "Works and Days" was elaborated, first by making Homer the opponent whom Hesiod conquered, while a later period exercised its ingenuity in working up the story of the contest into the elaborate form in which it still survives.

View in context

That which would present no difficulty to a thousand navvies working in open country will be of course more troublesome in a comparatively confined space.