Work & Careers

inventress C2+

/ɪnˈvɛntrəs/ dated: a woman who invents; a female inventor M S

shopboy C2+

/ˈʃɑːpˌbɔɪ/ historical: a boy or young male assistant employed in a shop M S

porkman C2+

/ˈpɔrkmən/ a person who produces and sells pork. M S

undertaking C2+

/ˌʌndɚˈteɪkɪŋ/ a task or project, especially a difficult one; a formal pledge M S

avocation C2+

/ˌævəˈkeɪʃən/ a hobby or minor occupation pursued alongside one's main vocation M S

accede C2+

/ækˈsid/ to agree to a request, or to assume an office M S

derivative C2+

/dɪˈrɪvətɪv/ imitative of others' work; a thing based on another source M S

firing C2+

/ˈfaɪərɪŋ/ the act of discharging a weapon, dismissing staff, or baking pottery M S

incompatible C2+

/ˌɪnkəmˈpætəbəl/ unable to exist or work together harmoniously M S

abridgment C2+

/əˈbrɪdʒmənt/ a shortened version of a written work; a condensation M S

accession C2+

/ækˈsɛʃən/ the attainment of a rank, office, or throne M S

botch C2+

/bɑtʃ/ to spoil through clumsiness; a bungled piece of work M S

bungle C2+

/ˈbʌŋɡəl/ to carry out clumsily or incompetently; a botched job M S

hustle C2+

/ˈhʌsəl/ to move or work energetically; to push or jostle M S

journeyman C2+

/ˈdʒɜrnimən/ a trained worker qualified in a trade; a competent but unremarkable performer M S

managerial C2+

/ˌmænəˈdʒɪriəl/ relating to the work or skills of a manager M S

absenteeism C2+

/ˌæbsənˈtiɪzəm/ the habitual practice of being absent from work or duty M S

bishopric C2+

/ˈbɪʃəprɪk/ the office or diocese of a bishop M S

depose C2+

/dɪˈpoʊz/ to remove from office or power; to testify under oath M S

entropy C2+

/ˈɛntrəpi/ a measure of disorder or of energy unavailable for work in a system M S

fag C2+

/fæɡ/ a tiring or tedious task; (British informal) a cigarette M S

furtherance C2+

/ˈfɜrðərəns/ the advancement or promotion of a plan or interest M S

hobo C2+

/ˈhoʊboʊ/ a migratory worker or homeless vagrant, especially one riding trains M S

insinuate C2+

/ɪnˈsɪnjuˌeɪt/ to suggest indirectly; to introduce or work in subtly M S

jobless C2+

/ˈdʒɑbləs/ without paid employment; unemployed M S

jut C2+

/dʒʌt/ to extend or project sharply beyond a surface M S

opus C2+

/ˈoʊpəs/ an artistic work, especially a musical composition numbered in a composer's output M S

overture C2+

/ˈoʊvɚtʃɚ/ an orchestral introduction to a larger work, or an opening approach or proposal M S

presidentship C2+

/ˈprɛzɪdəntʃɪp/ the office or term of a president M S

protuberate C2+

/proʊˈtjubəreɪt/ to bulge out or project beyond a surface M S

sus C2+

/sʌs/ suspicious or suspect; to suspect or work something out M S

vocation C2+

/voʊˈkeɪʃən/ a strong sense of suitability for a particular career or calling M S

beetle C2+

/ˈbitəl/ an insect with hardened forewings; also to project or overhang M S

benchfellow C2+

/ˈbɛntʃˌfɛloʊ/ one who shares a bench; a companion or colleague (archaic) M S

bravo C2+

/ˈbrɑvoʊ/ a shout of approval; also a hired assassin or daring villain M S

cabdriving C2+

/ˈkæbˌdraɪvɪŋ/ the occupation of driving a taxicab M S

calling C2+

/ˈkɔlɪŋ/ a strong inner urge toward a vocation or profession M S

chancellery C2+

/ˈtʃænsələri/ the office, staff, or residence of a chancellor M S

confrere C2+

/ˈkɑnfrɛr/ a fellow member of a profession or association; a colleague M S

employable C2+

/ɪmˈplɔɪəbəl/ having skills or qualities that make one suitable for work M S

examinership C2+

/ɪɡˈzæmɪnɚˌʃɪp/ the office or process by which an insolvent company is placed under court protection M S

featherbed C2+

/ˈfɛðɚˌbɛd/ to pamper, or to overstaff a job by enforcing wasteful labor practices M S

grillwork C2+

/ˈɡrɪlˌwɚk/ ornamental work made of crossed metal bars M S

groundwork C2+

/ˈɡraʊndˌwɚk/ the preliminary work that forms a foundation M S

imitator C2+

/ˈɪmɪˌteɪtɚ/ one who copies the behavior or work of another M S

inauguration C2+

/ɪˌnɔɡjəˈreɪʃən/ the formal ceremony marking the start of an office or undertaking M S

investiture C2+

/ɪnˈvɛstətʃɚ/ the formal ceremony of conferring rank, office, or authority M S

jean C2+

/dʒin/ a heavy twilled cotton cloth used for work clothes M S

licensure C2+

/ˈlaɪsənʃɚ/ the granting of a license, especially to practice a profession M S

occupationless C2+

/ˌɑkjəˈpeɪʃənləs/ having no job, profession, or regular activity M S

plasterwork C2+

/ˈplæstɚˌwɚk/ decorative or structural work made of plaster, especially on walls and ceilings M S

plumbery C2+

/ˈplʌməri/ the trade or work of a plumber; plumbing M S

powwow C2+

/ˈpaʊˌwaʊ/ a Native American gathering or ceremony; an informal meeting for discussion M S

severance C2+

/ˈsɛvərəns/ the act of ending or separating; pay given on termination of employment M S

swink C2+

/swɪŋk/ to labour or toil hard; archaic word for hard work M S

temp C2+

/tɛmp/ a temporary employee, especially in an office M S

tenancy C2+

/ˈtɛnənsi/ the possession or occupation of land or property by rental tenure M S

unionization C2+

/ˌjunjənəˈzeɪʃən/ the process of forming or joining a labor union M S

unionize C2+

/ˈjunjəˌnaɪz/ to organize workers into a labor union M S

workfellow C2+

/ˈwɝk.fɛl.oʊ/ a fellow worker; a colleague M S

workless C2+

/ˈwɝk.ləs/ without work; unemployed M S

coal-heaver C2+

/ˈkoʊlˌhiːvɚ/ a worker who carries or unloads coal M S

aulnager C2+

Alternative form of alnager. M S

woodsawyer C2+

/ˈwʊdˌsɔɪɚ/ a worker whose occupation is sawing wood or timber M S

apir C2+

/əˈpɪr/ historical, Chilean mining: a worker who carried broken ore from an underground mine to the surface in a leather pack on the back M S

neatherd C2+

/ˈniːtˌhɝːd/ archaic: a person who tends cattle or oxen; a cowherd M S

ice cutter C2+

/ˈaɪsˌkʌtɚ/ historical: a worker who cuts and harvests blocks of natural ice from a frozen lake, pond, or river M S

knife grinder C2+

/ˈnaɪf ˌɡraɪndɚ/ a person whose trade is sharpening knives and other edged tools, traditionally while traveling from place to place M S

ploughwright C2+

/ˈplaʊˌraɪt/ a craftsperson who makes or repairs ploughs M S

coal-whipper C2+

/ˈkoʊlˌwɪpɚ/ historical: a dock worker who unloaded coal from a ship's hold using a rope-and-counterweight hoisting system M S

corn chandler C2+

/ˈkɔrn ˌtʃændlər/ British, historical: a retailer or merchant dealing in cereal grain, seeds, animal feed, and related agricultural goods M S

teataster C2+

/ˈtiːˌteɪ.stɚ/ a professional who samples, evaluates, and grades tea for quality, flavor, aroma, or blending M S

house-parlourmaid C2+

/ˌhaʊsˈpɑːr.lɚˌmeɪd/ historical British: a female domestic servant who combined the cleaning duties of a housemaid with the table service and reception duties of a parlourmaid M S

coalheaver C2+

/ˈkoʊlˌhiːvər/ historical: a laborer employed to unload, carry, or shovel coal M S

gownsman C2+

/ˈɡaʊnzmən/ a member of a profession traditionally marked by a gown, especially a cleric, lawyer, or university member M S