Advertisement

working (adj.)

late 14c., "active, busy," present-participle adjective from work (v.). From 1630s as "engaged in physical toil or manual labor as a means of livelihood." Working class is from 1789 as a noun, 1839 as an adjective. Working-day is from late 15c.; working man is by 1816.

working (n.)

"action, operation," verbal noun from work (v.).

Others are reading

Advertisement
Definitions of working from WordNet
1
working (adj.)
(of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing;
in running (or working) order
working (adj.)
actively engaged in paid work;
the working population
the ratio of working men to unemployed
a working mother
Synonyms: on the job
working (adj.)
adopted as a temporary basis for further work;
a working draft
a working hypothesis
working (adj.)
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
working (adj.)
serving to permit or facilitate further work or activity;
they need working agreements with their neighbor states on interstate projects
discussed the working draft of a peace treaty
2
working (n.)
a mine or quarry that is being or has been worked;
Synonyms: workings
From wordnet.princeton.edu