Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WORK, v.t.

1. To move; to stir and mix; as, to work mortar.
2. To form by labor; to mold, shape or manufacture; as, to work wood or iron into a form desired, or into an utensil; to work cotton or wool into cloth.
3. To bring into any state by action. A foul stream, or new wine or cider, works itself clear.
4. To influence by acting upon; to manage; to lead. And work your royal father to his ruin. – Philips.
5. To make by action, labor or violence. A stream works a passage or a new channel. Sidelong he works his way. – Milton.
6. To produce by action, labor or exertion. We might work any effect … only by the unity of nature. Bacon. Each herb he knew, that works or good or ill. – Harte.
7. To embroider; as, to work muslin.
8. To direct the movements of, by adapting the sails to the wind; as, to work a ship.
9. To put to labor; to exert. Work every nerve. – Addison.
10. To cause to ferment, as liquor. To work out, to effect by labor and exertion. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. – Phil. ii. #2. To erase; to efface. [Not used.] #3. To solve, as a problem. To work up, to raise; to excite; as, to work up the passions to rage. The sun that rolls his chariot o'er their heads / Works up more tire and color in their cheeks. – Addison. #2. To expend in any work, as materials. They have worked up all the stock. To work double tides, in the language of seamen, to perform the labor of three days in two; a phrase taken from the practice of working by the night tide as well as by the day. To work into, to make way, or to insinuate; as, to work one's self into favor or confidence. To work a passage, among seamen, to pay for a passage by doing duty on board of the ship.