working

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   serving to permit or facilitate further work or activity

   discussed the working draft of a peace treaty

2. 2
   adj

   performing or capable of performing

   The printer is working.

3. 3
   noun

   The incidental or subsidiary calculations performed in solving an overall problem.

   Be sure to check your working.

4. 4
   noun

   A place where work is carried on.

   the abandoned mine workings

5. 5
   noun

   A train movement.

   From time to time the coaches of the Lötschberg Railway itself, which in comfort and décor can rank with the finest in Europe today, travel far from the frontiers of Switzerland on through workings such as these.

6. 6
   verb

   present participle and gerund of work

   Leave him alone; he’s working.

7. 7
   adj

   That is or are functioning.

   a working ventilator

8. 8
   adj

   That suffices but requires additional work; provisional.

   a working copy of the script

Etymology

From Middle English workyng, wirkynge, worchinge, werchinge, workinde, wirkand, worchende, wurchende, from Old English wyrċende, from Proto-Germanic *wurkijandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *wurkijaną (“to work”), equivalent to work + -ing. Compare Scots wirkand, werkand, warkand (“working”), Dutch werkend (“working, acting”), German wirkend (“acting, working”).