Task vs. Work

Task vs. Work — Is There a Difference?
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Difference Between Task and Work

Tasknoun

A piece of work done as part of one’s duties.

Worknoun

Employment.

Tasknoun

A difficult or tedious undertaking.

Worknoun

Labour, occupation, job.

My work involves a lot of travel.

Tasknoun

An objective.

Worknoun

The place where one is employed.

He hasn’t come home yet, he’s still at work.
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Tasknoun

(computing) A process or execution of a program.

Worknoun

One's employer

Taskverb

(transitive) To assign a task to, or impose a task on.

On my first day in the office, I was tasked with sorting a pile of invoices.

Worknoun

Effort.

Taskverb

(transitive) To oppress with severe or excessive burdens; to tax.

Worknoun

Effort expended on a particular task.

Holding a brick over your head is hard work. It takes a lot of work to write a dictionary.
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Taskverb

(transitive) To charge, as with a fault.

Worknoun

Sustained human effort to overcome obstacles and achieve a result.

We know what we must do. Let's go to work.

Tasknoun

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted;

he prepared for great undertakings

Worknoun

Something on which effort is expended.

There's lots of work waiting for me at the office.

Tasknoun

a specific piece of work required to be done as a duty or for a specific fee;

estimates of the city's loss on that job ranged as high as a million dollarsthe job of repairing the engine took several hoursthe endless task of classifying the samplesthe farmer's morning chores

Worknoun

(physics) A measure of energy expended in moving an object; most commonly, force times distance. No work is done if the object does not move.

Work is done against friction to drag a bag along the ground.

Taskverb

assign a task to;

I tasked him with looking after the children

Worknoun

A measure of energy that is usefully extracted from a process.

Taskverb

use to the limit;

you are taxing my patience

Worknoun

Sustained effort to achieve a goal or result, especially overcoming obstacles.

We don't have much time. Let's get to work piling up those sandbags.

Worknoun

(heading) Product; the result of effort.

Worknoun

The result of a particular manner of production.

There's a lot of guesswork involved.

Worknoun

Something produced using the specified material or tool.

We've got some paperwork to do before we can get started. The piece was decorated with intricate filigree work.

Worknoun

(countable) A literary, artistic, or intellectual production.

It is a work of art.the poetic works of Alexander Pope

Worknoun

(countable) A fortification.

William the Conqueror fortified many castles, throwing up new ramparts, bastions and all manner of works.

Worknoun

The staging of events to appear as real.

Worknoun

(mining) Ore before it is dressed.

Worknoun

The equipment needed to inject a drug (syringes, needles, swabs etc.)

Tell me you're using clean works at least.

Workverb

(intransitive) To do a specific task by employing physical or mental powers.

He’s working in a bar.

Workverb

Followed by in (or at, etc.) Said of one's workplace (building), or one's department, or one's trade (sphere of business).

I work in a national parkshe works in the human resources departmenthe mostly works in logging, but sometimes works in carpentry

Workverb

Followed by as. Said of one's job title

I work as a cleaner.

Workverb

Followed by for. Said of a company or individual who employs.

she works for Microsofthe works for the president

Workverb

Followed by with. General use, said of either fellow employees or instruments or clients.

I work closely with my Canadian counterpartsyou work with computersshe works with the homeless people from the suburbs

Workverb

(transitive) To effect by gradual degrees.

he worked his way through the crowdthe dye worked its way throughusing some tweezers, she worked the bee sting out of her hand

Workverb

(transitive) To embroider with thread.

Workverb

(transitive) To set into action.

He worked the levers.

Workverb

(transitive) To cause to ferment.

Workverb

(intransitive) To ferment.

Workverb

(transitive) To exhaust, by working.

The mine was worked until the last scrap of ore had been extracted.

Workverb

(transitive) To shape, form, or improve a material.

He used pliers to work the wire into shape.

Workverb

(transitive) To operate in a certain place, area, or speciality.

she works the night clubsthe salesman works the Midwestthis artist works mostly in acrylics

Workverb

(transitive) To operate in or through; as, to work the phones.

Workverb

(transitive) To provoke or excite; to influence.

The rock musician worked the crowd of young girls into a frenzy.

Workverb

(transitive) To use or manipulate to one’s advantage.

She knows how to work the system.

Workverb

(transitive) To cause to happen or to occur as a consequence.

I cannot work a miracle.

Workverb

(transitive) To cause to work.

He is working his servants hard.

Workverb

(intransitive) To function correctly; to act as intended; to achieve the goal designed for.

he pointed at the car and asked, "Does it work"?;he looked at the bottle of pain pills, wondering if they would work;my plan didn’t work

Workverb

To influence.

They worked on her to join the group.

Workverb

(intransitive) To effect by gradual degrees; as, to work into the earth.

Workverb

(intransitive) To move in an agitated manner.

His fingers worked with tension.A ship works in a heavy sea.

Workverb

(intransitive) To behave in a certain way when handled

this dough does not work easily;the soft metal works well

Workverb

To cause (someone) to feel (something); to do unto somebody (something, whether good or bad).

Workverb

To hurt; to ache.

Worknoun

activity directed toward making or doing something;

she checked several points needing further work

Worknoun

a product produced or accomplished through the effort or activity or agency of a person or thing;

it is not regarded as one of his more memorable worksthe symphony was hailed as an ingenious workhe was indebted to the pioneering work of John Deweythe work of an active imaginationerosion is the work of wind or water over time

Worknoun

the occupation for which you are paid;

he is looking for employmenta lot of people are out of work

Worknoun

applying the mind to learning and understanding a subject (especially by reading);

mastering a second language requires a lot of workno schools offer graduate study in interior design

Worknoun

the total output of a writer or artist (or a substantial part of it);

he studied the entire Wagnerian oeuvrePicasso's work can be divided into periods

Worknoun

a place where work is done;

he arrived at work early today

Worknoun

(physics) a manifestation of energy; the transfer of energy from one physical system to another expressed as the product of a force and the distance through which it moves a body in the direction of that force;

work equals force times distance

Workverb

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity;

I will work hard to improve my gradesshe worked hard for better living conditions for the poor

Workverb

be employed;

Is your husband working again?My wife never workedDo you want to work after the age of 60?She never did any work because she inherited a lot of moneyShe works as a waitress to put herself through college

Workverb

have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected;

The voting process doesn't work as well as people thoughtHow does your idea work in practice?This method doesn't workThe breaks of my new car act quicklyThe medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water

Workverb

perform as expected when applied;

The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged inDoes this old car still run well?This old radio doesn't work anymore

Workverb

shape, form, or improve a material;

work stone into toolsprocess ironwork the metal

Workverb

give a work-out to;

Some parents exercise their infantsMy personal trainer works me hardwork one's muscles

Workverb

proceed along a path;

work one's way through the crowdmake one's way into the forest

Workverb

operate in a certain place, area, or specialty;

She works the night clubsThe salesman works the MidwestThis artist works mostly in acrylics

Workverb

proceed towards a goal or along a path or through an activity;

work your way through every problem or taskShe was working on her second martini when the guests arrivedStart from the bottom and work towards the top

Workverb

move in an agitated manner;

His fingers worked with tension

Workverb

cause to happen or to occur as a consequence;

I cannot work a miraclewreak havocbring commentsplay a jokeThe rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area

Workverb

cause to work;

he is working his servants hard

Workverb

prepare for crops;

Work the soilcultivate the land

Workverb

behave in a certain way when handled;

This dough does not work easilyThe soft metal works well

Workverb

have and exert influence or effect;

The artist's work influenced the young painterShe worked on her friends to support the political candidate

Workverb

operate in or through;

Work the phones

Workverb

cause to operate or function;

This pilot works the controlsCan you work an electric drill?

Workverb

provoke or excite;

The rock musician worked the crowd of young girls into a frenzy

Workverb

gratify and charm, usually in order to influence;

the political candidate worked the crowds

Workverb

make something, usually for a specific function;

She molded the riceballs carefullyForm cylinders from the doughshape a figureWork the metal into a sword

Workverb

move into or onto;

work the raisins into the doughthe student worked a few jokes into his presentationwork the body onto the flatbed truck

Workverb

make uniform;

knead doughwork the clay until it is soft

Workverb

use or manipulate to one's advantage;

He exploit the new taxation systemShe knows how to work the systemhe works his parents for sympathy

Workverb

find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of;

did you solve the problem?Work out your problems with the bossthis unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself outdid you get it?Did you get my meaning?He could not work the math problem

Workverb

cause to undergo fermentation;

We ferment the grapes for a very long time to achieve high alcohol contentThe vintner worked the wine in big oak vats

Workverb

go sour or spoil;

The milk has souredThe wine workedThe cream has turned--we have to throw it out

Workverb

arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion;

The stitches of the hem worked loose after she wore the skirt many times