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Job

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job¹

  • /dʒɒb/ Canada, UK
  • /dʒɑb/ US, Ireland

Rhymes with -ɒb

Where it comes from

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.

noun jobs · j*b

  1. countable, uncountable A task. I've got a job for you: could you wash the dishes?
  2. countable, uncountable An economic role for which a person is paid. That surgeon has a great job.
  3. countable, uncountable Plastic surgery. He had a nose job.
  4. countable, uncountable A sex act. hand job
  5. countable, uncountable A task, or series of tasks, carried out in batch mode (especially on a mainframe computer).
  6. countable, uncountable 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. countable, informal, uncountable A robbery or heist. a bank job
  8. countable, uncountable Any affair or event which affects one, whether fortunately or unfortunately.
  9. colloquial, countable, uncountable A thing or whatsit (often used in a vague way to refer to something whose name one cannot recall). Pass me that little job with the screw thread on it.
  10. UK, slang, uncountable The police as a profession, act of policing, or an individual police officer. “He was ex-job, Beavis. Detective sergeant out of County, Banbury, retired in ‘59.”
  11. countable, slang, uncountable, vulgar Synonym of penis.

verb jobs · jobbing · jobbed · j*b

  1. intransitive To do odd jobs or occasional work for hire. Authors of all work, to job for the season.
  2. intransitive To work as a jobber.
  3. intransitive, slang To take the loss, usually in a demeaning or submissive manner.
  4. transitive To buy and sell for profit, as securities; to speculate in.
  5. often, transitive 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. And judges job, and bishops bite the town.
  7. To hire or let in periods of service. to job a carriage

job²

  • /dʒɒb/ Canada, UK
  • /dʒɑb/ US, Ireland

Rhymes with -ɒb

Where it comes from

Imitative.

verb jobs · jobbing · jobbed · j*b

  1. archaic, intransitive, regional To peck (of a bird); (more generally) to poke or prod (at, into). a raven pitch'd upon him, and there sate, jobbing of the sore
  2. transitive To pierce or poke (someone or something), typically with a sharp or pointed object; to stab. He had ‘jobbed out’ the eye of one gentleman.
  3. Australia, transitive To hit (someone) with a quick, sharp punch; to jab. A stranger jobbed me in the mug so hard that I fell off my chair.

noun jobs · j*b

  1. obsolete A sudden thrust or stab; a jab or punch. Fair dinkum, a man ought to give you a job in the b— face.

Job³

  • /d͡ʒəʊb/
  • /d͡ʒɒb/ colloquial
  • /d͡ʒɔb/ colloquial

Sounds like job (second pronunciation) · Rhymes with -əʊb

Where it comes from

From Latin Iob, from Ancient Greek Ἰώβ (Iṓb), from Biblical Hebrew אִיּוֹב (ʾiyyōḇ), related to אָיַב (ʾāyaḇ, “to be an enemy”) and אוֹיֵב (ʾōyēḇ, “enemy”).

proper noun

  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 Jobs

  1. figuratively A person who shows remarkable patience, especially in the face of great misfortune.

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