work upon

noun

1. physical or mental effort exerted to do or make something; purposeful activity; labor; toil
2. employment at a job or in a position
3. occupation, profession, business, trade, craft, etc.
4. 1. something one is making, doing, or acting upon, esp. as part of one's occupation or duty; task; undertaking: to bring work home from the office
   2. the amount of this: a day's work
5. something that has been made or done; result of a specific kind of activity or way of working [to have dental work done, skillful brushwork]; specif.,
   1. an act; deed: usually used in pl.: a person of good works
   2. collected writings: the works of Poe
   3. engineering structures, as bridges, dams, docks, etc.
   4. a fortification
   5. needlework; embroidery
   6. work of art
6. material that is being or is to be processed, as in a machine tool, in some state of manufacture
7. a place where work is done, as a factory, public utility plant, etc.: often in combination: steelworks, gasworks
8. manner, style, quality, rate, etc. of working; workmanship
9. foam due to fermentation, as in cider
10. the action of, or effect produced by, natural forces
11. Mech. the product of force and the amount of displacement in the direction of that force: it is the means by which energy is transferred from one object or system to another: abbrev. W
12. Theol. acts done in compliance with religious laws or duties or aimed at fulfilling religious ideals

Origin: ME werk < OE weorc, akin to Ger werk < IE base *werĝ-, to do, act > Gr ergon (for *wergon), action, work, organon, tool, instrument

adjective

intransitive verb worked, working

1. to exert oneself in order to do or make something; do work; labor; toil
2. to be employed
3. 1. to perform its required or expected function; operate or act as specified
   2. to operate effectively; be effectual: a makeshift arrangement that works
4. to undergo fermentation
5. to produce results or exert an influence: let it work in their minds
6. to be manipulated, kneaded, etc.: putty that works easily
7. to move, proceed, etc. slowly and with or as with difficulty
8. to move, twitch, etc. as from agitation: his face worked with emotion
9. to change into a specified condition, as by repeated movement: the door worked loose
10. Naut. to strain, as in a storm, so that the fastenings become slack: said of a ship

Origin: OE wyrcan, wercan

transitive verb

1. to cause; bring about; effect: an idea that worked harm
2. to mold; shape; form: to work silver
3. to sew, embroider, etc.: to work a sampler
4. to solve (a mathematical problem, puzzle, etc.)
5. to draw, paint, carve, etc. (a portrait or likeness)
6. to manipulate; knead: to work dough
7. to bring into a specified condition, as by movement back and forth: to work a nail loose
8. to cultivate (soil)
9. to cause to function; operate; manage; use: to work a pump
10. to cause fermentation in
11. to cause to work: to work a crew hard
12. to influence; persuade: to work someone around to one's way of thinking
13. to make (one's way, passage, etc.) by work or effort
14. to provoke; rouse; excite: to work oneself into a rage
15. to carry on activity in, along, etc.; cover: a salesman working his territory
16. Informal to make use of, esp. by artful contriving: to work one's connections
17. ☆ Informal to use one's influence, charm, etc. on (a person) to gain some profit or advantage
18. ☆ Slang to move through (a crowd or room) greeting people, shaking hands, etc.: said esp. of a politician