working
working — adjective
1. describing things that are connected to your job or to the hours you spend at yo
describing things that are connected to your job or to the hours you spend at your workplace
Talia's working conditions improved after the office installed new desks.
attributive: working + conditions
Noor spends most of his working hours in front of a computer screen.
Paloma took a part-time job to fit around her children's school hours.
The office manager praised the team for their positive working attitude all year.
- professional
focuses on the skill or career aspect rather than the time spent
- occupational
more formal, often used in legal or medical contexts
文法句型
working + noun (conditions, hours, relationship, etc.)
用法筆記
Always placed before a noun (attributive). Common in fixed phrases such as working conditions, working hours, and working relationship.
常見錯誤
2. having a paid job; earning money through regular employment
having a paid job; earning money through regular employment
Hugo's mother has been a working parent since he was a toddler.
collocation: working parent / working mother
Amira joined the working population right after finishing university.
Kabir works as a delivery driver in the evenings, like many working students paying their own tuition.
Jian's father is a working man who has kept the same factory job for twenty years.
- unemployed
without a paid job
- jobless
informal, without a job
文法句型
working + noun (mother, parent, population, etc.)
用法筆記
Always attributive. Often used in social or economic contexts to describe demographic groups.
常見錯誤
3. currently running or being used in a normal way; not broken or switched off
currently running or being used in a normal way; not broken or switched off
Liang checked whether the office printer was still working before the meeting.
predicate: be + working
Théo shook the flashlight gently until the bulb started working again.
The coffee machine is not working today, so everyone feels grumpy.
Amihan tested the smoke detector and found it was working properly.
- running
more informal, often used for engines or motors
- operational
more formal, used for systems or equipment
文法句型
subject + be + working
working + adverb (properly, correctly, etc.)
用法筆記
This sense is most commonly used in the predicate position (after be, seem, or start). When used attributively, it overlaps with sense 6 (EFFECTIVE).
常見錯誤
4. describing the parts of a device that move around to make the whole machine run
describing the parts of a device that move around to make the whole machine run
The watchmaker carefully cleaned every working part of the antique clock.
collocation: working part(s)
The engineer oiled the working components of the factory conveyor belt.
The mechanic checked every working part inside the old washing machine before replacing the motor.
The pump stopped because sand had blocked its internal working mechanism.
- moving
simpler and more general; not restricted to mechanical contexts
- mechanical
refers to the whole system rather than just the parts that move
- stationary
fixed in place, not designed to move
文法句型
working + part(s) / component(s) / mechanism
用法筆記
Almost always used attributively before part or a synonym such as component or mechanism. Distinct from sense 3 because it specifically refers to physical moving parts, not the overall functioning of the device.
5. good enough to start using, even though you may update or refine it later
good enough to start using, even though you may update or refine it later
The film director kept the original working title until the final week of editing.
collocation: working title
The research team agreed on a working definition of the term before starting the study.
collocation: working definition
The local council approved a working budget that could be adjusted later.
The chef had a working knowledge of French cooking techniques from her training in Lyon.
- provisional
more formal, emphasises the temporary nature
- preliminary
suggests something that comes before the main version
文法句型
working + noun (definition, title, knowledge, plan, budget)
用法筆記
Only sense that pairs with nouns such as title, definition, knowledge, hypothesis, or document. The implication is always provisional and subject to revision.
常見錯誤
6. describing a relationship, arrangement, or system that produces good results in
describing a relationship, arrangement, or system that produces good results in practice
Tomás and his neighbour have developed a very working relationship over the years.
collocation: working relationship
Niran's team found a working arrangement that allowed everyone to work from home.
The court reached a working solution that satisfied both parties in the dispute.
The community centre established a working partnership with the local library.
- successful
emphasises the positive outcome more than the process
- effective
more general; not limited to collaborative or social contexts
- dysfunctional
failing to work as intended; often used for relationships or systems
- broken
no longer functioning at all
文法句型
working + noun (relationship, arrangement, solution, partnership)
用法筆記
Overlaps partially with sense 3 (FUNCTIONING) when used predicatively. What distinguishes this sense is the emphasis on quality of operation rather than the binary on/off state. Most common in collocations describing human or social systems.
常見錯誤
working — noun
1. the way in which a system, organisation, machine, or natural process operates an
the way in which a system, organisation, machine, or natural process operates and produces results
The biology students studied the workings of the human heart for their exam.
pattern: the workings of + noun
The accountant explained the workings of the tax system to the new intern.
New employees often find the inner workings of a large organisation difficult to understand.
The documentary revealed the workings of the ancient water system beneath the city.
文法句型
the workings of + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form (workings). The phrase 'the workings of something' is the standard structure. 'Inner workings' is a very common fixed collocation.
常見錯誤
2. a hole dug in the ground to take out minerals, stone, or metal
a hole dug in the ground to take out minerals, stone, or metal
The old copper workings in this valley were closed down back in the early nineteen-eighties.
pattern: [mineral] + workings
Visitors to the region can tour the limestone workings that date back to Roman times.
The surveyor mapped the entrance to the abandoned tin workings near the river.
Local historians wrote a book about the silver workings that employed hundreds of miners.
文法句型
often in place names: copper workings, limestone workings
用法筆記
Most commonly appears in plural form preceded by the name of the extracted material (e.g. gold workings, tin workings). Typically encountered in historical or geological writing rather than everyday speech.