English Explanatory Dictionary

job

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A task.
  2. An economic role for which a person is paid.
  3. Plastic surgery.
  4. A sex act.
  5. A task, or series of tasks, carried out in batch mode (especially on a mainframe computer).
  6. A public transaction done for private profit; something performed ostensibly as a part of official duty, but really for private gain; a corrupt official business.
  7. A robbery or heist.
  8. Any affair or event which affects one, whether fortunately or unfortunately.
  9. A thing or whatsit (often used in a vague way to refer to something whose name one cannot recall).
  10. The police as a profession, act of policing, or an individual police officer.
  11. A penis.
verb
  1. To do odd jobs or occasional work for hire.
  2. To work as a jobber.
  3. To take the loss, usually in a demeaning or submissive manner.
  4. To buy and sell for profit, as securities; to speculate in.
  5. To subcontract a project or delivery in small portions to a number of contractors.
  6. To seek private gain under pretence of public service; to turn public matters to private advantage.
  7. To hire or let in periods of service.
verb
  1. To peck (of a bird); (more generally) to poke or prod (at, into).
  2. To pierce or poke (someone or something), typically with a sharp or pointed object; to stab.
  3. To hit (someone) with a quick, sharp punch; to jab.
noun
  1. A sudden thrust or stab; a jab or punch.
name
  1. A book of the Old Testament and the Hebrew Tanakh.
  2. A male given name from Hebrew.
  3. A character in the Old Testament and the Qur'an, renowned for his patience.
noun
  1. A person who shows remarkable patience, especially in the face of great misfortune.

Pronunciation

/dʒɒb/ /dʒɑb/ en-uk-job.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-job.wav en-us-job.ogg jōb /d͡ʒəʊb/ /d͡ʒɔb/

Word forms

job jobs j*b jobbing jobbed

Etymology

From the phrase jobbe of work (“piece of work”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from a variant of Middle English gobbe (“mass, lump”); or perhaps related to Middle English jobben (“to jab, thrust, peck”), or Middle English choppe (“piece, bargain”). More at gob, jab, chop.

Synonyms

métier Sorted by number of Google hits widget hickey gizmo thingy gimmick thingie jigger gismo gubbins whatsit thingamajig doodad whatchamacallit doohickey thingo thingamabob thingummy whatsis thingumajig thingumabob whatchacallit Sorted alphabetically affair bazinga bizzo dealie dealy dinglehopper dingus dohickey dojigger dongle doo-hickey doober doodah doofer doohickus doohinkey doohinkus doojigger doovalacky foobar foo frammis frobnitz gadget geegaw gewgaw gingambob gingumbob hodad hootenanny jawn jimbang jobber jobby joint junk

Related words

employment labour work

Derived words

3D job bad job bag job batch job black bag job bladejob bleach job blowjob blow job blue job bob-a-job bob-job bodge job boob job botched job botch job brow job brown job bullshit job butt job by the job chin job cronjob day job desk job don't give up the day job don't give up your day job don't quit your day job do one's job do the job double-jobbing dream job dump job dye job eye job face job fang job flex job foot job full-time job get the job done give something up as a bad job gob job good job great job gum job hack job hair job handjob hand job hatchet job have a job to hitjob I'm looking for a job inside job job action job advertisement job ad job advert job agency
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