Job

Pronunciation

• UK enPR: jŏb, IPA: /dÊ’É’b/
• Rhymes: -É’b
• US enPR: jäb, IPA: /dÊ’É‘b/

Origin

From the phrase jobbe of work "piece of work", from Middle English jobbe ("piece, article"). Of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to Middle English gobbe "lump, mouthful", Middle English jobben ("to jab, thrust, peck"), or Middle English choppe ("piece, bargain"). More at gob, jab, chop

Full definition of job

Noun

1. A task.
   I've got a job for you - could you wash the dishes?
• 1996, Tom Cruise in the movie Jerry Maguire''And it's my job to take care of the skanks on the road that you bang.
2. An economic role for which a person is paid.
   That surgeon has a great job.
   He's been out of a job since being made redundant in January.
• 2013-08-10, Schumpeter, Cronies and capitols, Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult. Businesspeople have every right to lobby governments, and civil servants to take jobs in the private sector.
3. (in noun compounds) Plastic surgery.
   He had had a nose job
4. (computing) A task, or series of tasks, carried out in batch mode (especially on a mainframe computer).
5. A sudden thrust or stab; a jab.
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. Any affair or event which affects one, whether fortunately or unfortunately.
8. A thing (often used in a vague way to refer to something whose name one cannot recall).

Usage notes

Adjectives often applied to "job": easy, hard, poor, good, great, excellent, decent, low-paying, steady, stable, secure, challenging, demanding, rewarding, boring, thankless, stressful, horrible, lousy, satisfying, industrial, educational, academic.

Derived terms

Verb

1. (intransitive) To do odd jobs or occasional work for hire.
• MooreAuthors of all work, to job for the season.
2. (intransitive) To work as a jobber.
3. (intransitive, professional wrestling slang) To take the loss.
4. (transitive, trading) To buy and sell for profit, as securities; to speculate in.
5. (transitive, often with out) To subcontract a project or delivery in small portions to a number of contractors.We wanted to sell a turnkey plant, but they jobbed out the contract to small firms.
6. (intransitive) To seek private gain under pretence of public service; to turn public matters to private advantage.
• Alexander PopeAnd judges job, and bishops bite the town.
7. To strike or stab with a pointed instrument.
8. To thrust in, as a pointed instrument.
9. To hire or let in periods of service.to job a carriage

Derived terms

Anagrams

• obj