work upon

• : exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.
• : productive or operative activity.
• : employment, as in some form of industry, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood: to look for work.
• : one's place of employment: Don't phone him at work.
• : something on which exertion or labor is expended; a task or undertaking: The students finished their work in class.
• : materials, things, etc., on which one is working or is to work.
• : the result of exertion, labor, or activity; a deed or performance.
• : a product of exertion, labor, or activity: musical works.
• : Often works. an engineering structure, as a building or bridge.
• : a building, wall, trench, or the like, constructed or made as a means of fortification.
• : works,a place or establishment for manufacturing: ironworks.the working parts of a machine: the works of a watch.Theology.righteous deeds.
• : Physics. force times the distance through which it acts; specifically, the transference of energy equal to the product of the component of a force that acts in the direction of the motion of the point of application of the force and the distance through which the point of application moves.
• : the works, Informal. everything; all related items or matters: a hamburger with the works.harsh or cruel treatment: to give someone the works.

• : of, for, or concerning work: work clothes.
• : working.

worked or wrought;working.

• : to do work; labor.
• : to be employed, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood: He hasn't worked for six weeks.
• : to be in operation, as a machine: The water should not be disconnected while the pump is working.
• : to act or operate effectively: We all agree that this plan works.
• : to attain a specified condition, as by repeated movement: The nails worked loose.
• : to have an effect or influence, as on a person or on the mind or feelings of a person.
• : to move in agitation, as the features under strong emotion.
• : to make way with effort or under stress: The ship works to windward.
• : Nautical. to give slightly at the joints, as a vessel under strain at sea.
• : Machinery. to move improperly, as from defective fitting of parts or from wear.
• : to undergo treatment by labor in a given way: This dough works slowly.
• : to ferment, as a liquid.

worked or wrought;working.

• : to use or manage: It is easy to work the camera in this mobile device.She can work many power tools.
• : to bring about by or as by work or effort: to work a change.
• : to manipulate or treat by labor: to work butter.
• : to put into effective operation.
• : to operate for productive purposes: to work a coal mine.
• : to carry on operations in.
• : to make, fashion, or execute by work.
• : to achieve or win by work or effort: to work one's passage.
• : to keep at work: She works her employees hard.
• : to cause a strong emotion in: to work a crowd into a frenzy.
• : to influence or persuade, especially insidiously: to work other people to one's will.
• : Informal. to exploit to one's advantage: See if you can work your uncle for a new car. He worked his charm in landing a new job.
• : to make or decorate by needlework or embroidery: She worked a needlepoint cushion.
• : to cause fermentation in.

• : work in / into to bring or put in; add, merge, or blend: The tailor worked in the patch skillfully. Work the cream into the hands until it is completely absorbed.to arrange a time or employment for: The dentist was very busy, but said she would be able to work me in late in the afternoon. They worked him into the new operation.
• : work off, to lose or dispose of, as by exercise or labor: We decided to work off the effects of a heavy supper by walking for an hour.to pay or fulfill by working: He worked off his debt by doing odd jobs.
• : work on / upon to exercise influence on; persuade; affect:I'll work on her, and maybe she'll change her mind.
• : work out, to bring about by work, effort, or action.to solve, as a problem.to arrive at by or as by calculation.to pay by working instead of paying money.to exhaust, as a mine.to issue in a result.to evolve; elaborate.to amount to; add up: The total works out to 176.to prove effective or successful: Their marriage just didn't work out.to practice, exercise, or train, especially in order to become proficient in an athletic sport: The boxers are working out at the gym tonight.
• : work over, to study or examine thoroughly: For my term paper I worked over 30 volumes of Roman history.Informal.to beat unsparingly, especially in order to obtain something or out of revenge: They threatened to work him over until he talked.
• : work through, to deal with successfully; come to terms with: to work through one's feelings of guilt.
• : work up, to move or stir the feelings; excite.to prepare; elaborate: Work up some plans.to increase in efficiency or skill: He worked up his typing speed to 70 words a minute.
• : work up to, rise to a higher position; advance: He worked up to the presidency.