working
Meaning
Engaged in work, especially for a job or income
Functioning or operating effectively
Good enough as a basis for work or discussion but not final
The activity of performing work or operating
The parts of a mine or quarry where excavation is done
Structure
Usage
She has a working knowledge of three programming languages.
After the repair, the engine is now in perfect working order.
The committee produced a working draft of the proposal.
Etymology
The word 'working' is a direct descendant of the Old English verb 'wyrcan,' meaning "to do, perform, or construct." The '-ing' suffix has a dual origin, merging the Old English present participle ending '-ende' with the action-noun forming suffix '-ung.' This fusion created a versatile form that can function both as an adjective describing the state of being engaged in labor and as a noun denoting the process or instance of that labor. The semantic core has remained remarkably stable from its Proto-Germanic root 'werkan,' preserving the fundamental link between physical or mental effort and productive activity. Over time, its applications expanded from manual tasks to include the operation of mechanisms and the development of provisional ideas.
Analysis
- work: From Old English 'weorc' (noun), 'wyrcan' (verb), meaning "something done, labor, action." Its functional role is the core lexical root conveying the concept of labor or operation. - ing: From Old English '-ende' (present participle suffix) and '-ung' (noun-forming suffix). Its functional role is to form the present participle (adjective) or a verbal noun (gerund).