workings
/ˈwɜː.kɪŋz/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈɚkɪŋz] /ˈwɝː.kɪŋz/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈɚkɪŋz] /ˈwər-kiŋ How to pronounce working (audio)/ (ame, mw)
workings — noun
1. The tunnels, shafts, and passages dug under the ground to extract valuable miner
The tunnels, shafts, and passages dug under the ground to extract valuable minerals, coal, or stone from the earth.
The old tin workings near the village were abandoned in the 1950s.
collocation: old + [mineral] + workings
Samir led the team deep into the limestone workings to inspect the roof supports.
proper noun location adjective + workings
Heavy rain had flooded the lower level of the copper workings near the river.
The mining company sealed the entrance to the old gold workings after the collapse.
- mine
broader term that includes the whole operation, not just the tunnels
- diggings
more informal; less common in modern use
- excavation
more general; can refer to any hole dug, not just for minerals
文法句型
always plural
often preceded by 'the' or a location adjective
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form. 'Workings' in this sense typically refers to the physical excavation itself, not the mining company or operation.
常見錯誤
2. The written steps and intermediate results that a person produces on paper while
The written steps and intermediate results that a person produces on paper while solving a mathematical problem.
Jisoo checked her workings twice before handing in the maths test.
collocation: check + workings
The teacher asked the students to show all their workings for each problem.
collocation: show + workings
Otis made a small error in his workings and ended up with the wrong total.
Valentina's workings were so clear that the examiner followed every step easily.
- calculations
more general; can refer to mental or electronic computation
- figures
informal; emphasises the numbers rather than the method
- working (singular)
used as a mass noun in American English ('show your work')
文法句型
always plural
often 'show your workings'
用法筆記
Predominantly British English. In American English, 'work' or 'calculations' is more common. Frequently used in school exam instructions ('show your workings').
常見錯誤
3. The way the parts of a system, a device, an organisation, or a natural process i
The way the parts of a system, a device, an organisation, or a natural process interact and operate together to produce a result.
Pedro spent months learning the inner workings of the hospital's billing system.
common set phrase: inner workings
The clockmaker patiently explained the workings of the antique grandfather clock.
pattern: the workings of [device]
Defne wanted to understand the workings of local government before the election.
The documentary revealed the complex workings of a modern airport control tower.
- operation
more general; can refer to a single action or a process
- functioning
emphasises whether something works properly or not
- mechanics
focuses on the technical or procedural details
- inner workings
set phrase that emphasises hidden or complex details
文法句型
always plural
often 'the workings of [something]'
用法筆記
Almost always preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of' — 'the workings of something'. 'Inner workings' is a very common fixed phrase.
常見錯誤
workings — adjective
- workingspositive
- more workingscomparative
- most workingssuperlative
1. Having a paid job; earning money by doing a job or providing a service.
Having a paid job; earning money by doing a job or providing a service.
The new policy provides free after-school care for all working parents in the district.
common collocation: working parents
Every working adult on Maple Drive, including Noor, received a survey about the proposed library.
The charity offers training courses for working professionals who want to change careers.
Many working mothers struggle to find affordable childcare near their offices.
- employed
more formal; can be used predicatively ('she is employed')
- wage-earning
narrows the focus to people paid by wages rather than salary
- unemployed
without a job
- jobless
informal synonym of unemployed
文法句型
usually before a noun
用法筆記
Attributive only — placed before the noun it modifies (e.g. 'working people', NOT 'the people are working' in this sense). Contrasted with 'unemployed'.
常見錯誤
2. In a physical condition that allows a device or system to be used normally and w
In a physical condition that allows a device or system to be used normally and without problems.
The photocopier is old but still in working condition for daily office use.
set phrase: in working condition
The staff checked that all emergency exits were in working order before the concert.
set phrase: in working order
After the motor repair, the elevator at Saint Mary's Hospital remained in working condition.
The landlord confirmed the heating system was in working order before the tenants moved in.
- functional
more direct synonym; can be used predicatively or attributively
- operable
more formal; used for machinery and medical conditions
- broken
not working at all
- out of order
set phrase for public machines like vending machines or lifts
文法句型
usually in the phrase 'in working [noun]'
用法筆記
Almost always used within the fixed phrases 'in working order' or 'in working condition'. Not used before a noun on its own ('a working system' means something else).
常見錯誤
3. Accepted as a temporary basis for planning, discussion, or further investigation
Accepted as a temporary basis for planning, discussion, or further investigation, without being confirmed as definitely true or final.
The team used a working title for the novel until the publisher approved the final name.
common collocation: working title
Dr. Okonkwo's working hypothesis explained most of the data from the experiment.
common collocation: working hypothesis
The architects created a working budget before the final designs were complete.
The committee adopted a working definition of sustainability for the evaluation phase.
- tentative
more formal; implies more uncertainty
- provisional
established for now but subject to change
- interim
used for a temporary arrangement pending a final decision
文法句型
always before a noun like hypothesis, title, definition, budget
用法筆記
Only used before a narrow set of nouns: 'hypothesis', 'title', 'definition', 'budget', 'assumption'. Do not extend to general nouns like 'idea' or 'plan'.
常見錯誤
4. Relating to the amount of time that a person spends doing their job, usually mea
Relating to the amount of time that a person spends doing their job, usually measured in hours, days, or years.
The union negotiated a reduction in working hours for all factory employees.
common collocation: working hours
Jabari's working day starts at seven in the morning and ends at four.
common collocation: working day
Elena spent her entire working life as a midwife at the district hospital in Taichung.
The company introduced flexible working hours to improve staff well-being.
- work
used as a noun modifier ('work hours', 'work day'); slightly less idiomatic in some contexts
- leisure
relating to free time rather than work
- non-working
e.g., 'non-working hours'
文法句型
always before a time-related noun
用法筆記
Only modifies time-related nouns: 'hours', 'day', 'week', 'life', 'year', 'conditions'. Never modifies people or objects.
常見錯誤
5. Currently functioning or available for practical use, especially of knowledge or
Currently functioning or available for practical use, especially of knowledge or equipment that is adequate for real-world tasks.
Abigail has a working knowledge of Spanish from Madrid but cannot write formal reports in it.
common collocation: working knowledge
The museum displayed a working model of a steam engine from the 1800s.
common collocation: working model
Candidates for the bookkeeper position at Lin's Hardware need a working understanding of QuickBooks.
The prototype was only a concept model, not a working product ready for sale.
- practical
emphasises usefulness in real situations rather than theory
- functional
focuses on the ability to perform a task
- usable
can be used for practical purposes
- theoretical
based on ideas rather than practical use
- non-functional
not capable of operating
文法句型
always before a noun like knowledge, model, understanding
用法筆記
Used with a limited set of nouns: 'knowledge', 'understanding', 'model', 'product', 'system'. 'Working knowledge' is the most frequent — it means enough to get by, not expert-level.