Definition of 'operate'
Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense operates, present participle operating, past tense, past participle operated
1. transitive verb/intransitive verb
If you operate a business or organization, you work to keep it running. If a business or organization
operates, it carries out its work.
operation (ɒpəreɪʃən
) uncountable noun
Synonyms: surgery, surgical operation, surgical intervention, oper8n [text messaging] More Synonyms of operate
2. intransitive verb
The way that something operates is the way that it works or has a particular effect.
3. transitive verb/intransitive verb
When you operate a machine or device, or when it operates, you make it work.
4. intransitive verb
When surgeons operate on a patient in a hospital, they cut open a patient's body in order to remove, replace,
or repair a diseased or damaged part.
Synonyms: perform surgery, carry out surgery, put someone under the knife [informal] More Synonyms of operate
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
operate in American English
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈoperˌated or ˈoperˌating
1.
to be in action so as to produce an effect; act; function; work
2.
4.
to perform a surgical operation
verb transitive
5. Rare
to bring about as an effect
6.
a.
to put or keep in action; work (a machine, etc.)
b.
to conduct or direct the affairs of (a business, etc.); manage
7. Informal
to perform a surgical operation on
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
operate in American English
(ˈɑpəˌreit) (verb -ated, -ating)
intransitive verb
1.
to work, perform, or function, as a machine does
This engine does not operate properly
3. (often fol. by on or upon)
to act effectively; produce an effect; exert force or influence
Their propaganda is beginning to operate on the minds of the people
4.
to perform some process of work or treatment
6. (of a drug)
to produce the effect intended
8.
transitive verb
10.
to manage or use (a machine, device, etc.)
to operate a switchboard
11.
to operate a coal mine
12.
to bring about, effect, or produce, as by action or the exertion of force or influence
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
operatable adjective
Word origin
[1600–10; ‹ LL operātus, ptp. of operārī, -āre to work, be efficacious, effect, produce, L: to busy oneself, v. deriv. of opera effort, work, akin to opus work; see -ate1]Word Frequency
operate in British English
verb
1.
to function or cause to function
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C17: from Latin operāri to work
Examples of 'operate' in a sentence
operate
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In other languages
operate
British English: operate
/ˈɒpəˌreɪt/ VERB
business, organization If you operate a business or organization, you work to keep it running properly. If a business or organization operates, it carries out its work.
The family owned and operated the factory.
- American English: operate /ˈɒpəreɪt/ to function
- Arabic: يُشَغِّلُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: dirigir
- Chinese: 操作
- Croatian: voditi
- Czech: fungovat
- Danish: drive
- Dutch: beheren
- European Spanish: funcionar
- Finnish: toimia kone ym.
- French: opérer fonctionner
- German: funktionieren
- Greek: λειτουργώ
- Italian: dirigere
- Japanese: 操作する
- Korean: 작동하다
- Norwegian: betjene
- Polish: zadziałać
- European Portuguese: funcionar
- Romanian: a administra
- Russian: действовать
- Spanish: funcionar
- Swedish: driva köra
- Thai: ดำเนินกิจการ
- Turkish: işlemek
- Ukrainian: керувати
- Vietnamese: vận hành
British English: operate
/ˈɒpəˌreɪt/ VERB
surgeon When surgeons operate on a patient, they cut open the patient's body in order to remove, replace, or repair a diseased or damaged part.
You examine a patient and then decide whether or not to operate.
- American English: operate /ˈɒpəreɪt/ to perform surgery
- Arabic: يُجرَي عَمَلِيَّةٌ جِرَاحِيَةٌ
- Brazilian Portuguese: operar
- Chinese: 手术
- Croatian: operirati
- Czech: operovat
- Danish: operere
- Dutch: opereren in ziekenhuis
- European Spanish: operar
- Finnish: leikata lääketieteellisesti
- French: opérer médical
- German: operieren
- Greek: εγχειρίζω
- Italian: operare
- Japanese: 手術する
- Korean: 수술하다
- Norwegian: operere
- Polish: zoperować
- European Portuguese: operar
- Romanian: a opera
- Russian: оперировать
- Spanish: operar
- Swedish: operera
- Thai: ผ่าตัด
- Turkish: ameliyat etmek
- Ukrainian: оперувати
- Vietnamese: mổ
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