work up

work up
1) PHRASAL VERB If you work yourself up, you make yourself feel very upset or angry about something.
See also worked up

[V pron-refl P into/to n] She worked herself up into a bit of a state...

[V pron-refl P] Don't just lie there working yourself up, do something about it.

2) PHRASAL VERB If you work up the enthusiasm or courage to do something, you succeed in making yourself feel it.

[V P n (not pron)] Your creative talents can also be put to good use, if you can work up the energy...

[V P n (not pron)] Malcolm worked up the nerve to ask Grandma Rose for some help.

Syn:
3) PHRASAL VERB If you work up a sweat or an appetite, you make yourself sweaty or hungry by doing exercise or hard work.

[V P n (not pron)] Even if you are not prepared to work up a sweat three times a week, any activity is better than none...

[V P n (not pron)] It was around seven when I finished at the library. I wasn't hungry, but I'd worked up a thirst.

4) PHRASAL VERB If you work up something such as a piece of writing, you spend time and effort preparing it.

[V P n (not pron)] I sketched the layout of a prototype store and worked up a business plan...

[V P n (not pron)] They asked me to work up some sample drawings and bring them down.


English dictionary. 2008.

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  • work — [wʉrk] n. [ME werk < OE weorc, akin to Ger werk < IE base * werĝ , to do, act > Gr ergon (for * wergon), action, work, organon, tool, instrument] 1. physical or mental effort exerted to do or make something; purposeful activity; labor;… …   English World dictionary

  • Work — (w[^u]rk), n. [OE. work, werk, weorc, AS. weorc, worc; akin to OFries. werk, wirk, OS., D., & G. werk, OHG. werc, werah, Icel. & Sw. verk, Dan. v[ae]rk, Goth. gawa[ u]rki, Gr. e rgon, [digamma]e rgon, work, re zein to do, o rganon an instrument,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Work — may refer to: Human labor: Employment House work Labor (economics), measure of the work done by human beings Manual labor, physical work done by people Wage labor, in which a worker sells their labor and an employer buys it Work (project… …   Wikipedia

  • work — n 1 Work, labor, travail, toil, drudgery, grind are comparable when they mean effort or exertion directed to the accomplishment of an end, or an employment or activity which involves such expenditure of effort or exertion. Work is the most… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Work — (w[^u]rk), v. t. 1. To labor or operate upon; to give exertion and effort to; to prepare for use, or to utilize, by labor. [1913 Webster] He could have told them of two or three gold mines, and a silver mine, and given the reason why they forbare …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • work — ► NOUN 1) activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a result. 2) such activity as a means of earning income. 3) a task or tasks to be undertaken. 4) a thing or things done or made; the result of an action. 5) (works)… …   English terms dictionary

  • Work — (w[^u]rk), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Worked} (w[^u]rkt), or {Wrought} (r[add]t); p. pr. & vb. n. {Working}.] [AS. wyrcean (imp. worthe, wrohte, p. p. geworht, gewroht); akin to OFries. werka, wirka, OS. wirkian, D. werken, G. wirken, Icel. verka,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • work — [n1] labor, chore assignment, attempt, commission, daily grind*, drudge, drudgery, effort, elbow grease*, endeavor, exertion, functioning, grind, grindstone*, industry, job, moil, muscle, obligation, pains*, performance, production, push, salt… …   New thesaurus

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  • work it — informal phrase to arrange for something to happen I’ll try and work it so we can leave early today. Thesaurus: to make plans or arrangementssynonym Main entry: work * * * ˈwork it/things …   Useful english dictionary

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