Definition of “job” - English Dictionary

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“job” in English

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jobnoun

uk ​ /dʒɒb/ us ​ /dʒɑːb/

job noun (EMPLOYMENT)

A1 [ C ] the regular work that a person does to earn money:

a temporary/permanent job
When she left college, she got a job as an editor in a publishing company.
It's very difficult trying to bring up two children while doing a full-time job.
He's never managed to hold down (= keep) a steady (= permanent) job.
She's applied for a job with an insurance company.
Are you going to give up your job when you have your baby?
After a disastrous first month in office, many people are beginning to wonder if the new president is up to (= able to do) the job.
Hundreds of workers could lose their jobs.
out of a job

C2 without a job:

How long have you been out of a job?
Synonym
unemployed

More examples

job noun (PIECE OF WORK)

A2 [ C ] a particular piece of work:

The builders are aiming to get the job done by the end of the month.
He spent the afternoon doing jobs around the house.
informal Will you be able to carry all the shopping back home on your bike, or will it have to be a car job (= will you need the car)?

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Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Idiom(s)

be just the job
do a good/bad job
do the job
do/make a good/bad job of sth
good job!
it's more than my job's worth
job done
jobs for the boys
just the man/woman for the job
on-the-job

(Definition of “job” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“job” in American English

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jobnoun [ C ]

us ​ /dʒɑb/

job noun [ C ] (EMPLOYMENT)

› the regular work that a person does to earn money:

a full-time/part-time/permanent/temporary job
to get/quit a job
The new supermarket will create 50 new jobs in the area.
She’s applied for a job with an insurance company.
How long have you been out of a job (= unemployed)?
on the job

› If you do something on the job, you do it while at work:

He keeps falling asleep on the job.
The company provides on-the-job training (= training while you work).

job noun [ C ] (PIECE OF WORK)

› a particular piece of work:

I should have this job done by lunchtime.
A microwave oven makes the job of preparing meals a lot easier.

› infml A job can be work done on or to something to improve or repair it:

a paint job

› If you do a good/bad job, you do a piece of work of that quality:

Jamie did a wonderful job on that sales presentation.

job noun [ C ] (DUTY)

› a responsibility or duty:

[ + to infinitive ] I know it’s not my job to tell you how to run your life, but I do think you’ve made a mistake.

job noun [ C ] (CRIME)

› slang a crime in which money or goods are stolen:

a bank job
an inside job (= a crime committed by someone who works for the company it was committed against)

(Definition of “job” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

“job” in Business English

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jobnoun [ C ]

uk ​ /dʒɒb/ us ​

› the regular work that someone does to earn money:

a job with sth She applied for a job with an advertising agency.
Many people found themselves out of a job as a consequence of the global recession.
have/get/take a job
apply for/look for/find a job
create/cut/shed jobs The government is creating new job opportunities for mothers returning to the workplace.
leave/quit/lose a job
a paid/unpaid/well-paid job
The deputy Chairman has been appointed to the top job.
first/new job
a full-time/part-time job
a permanent/temporary/steady job
a Saturday/weekend job

› a particular piece of work or task that needs to be done or achieved:

the job of doing sth The job of redesigning the offices went to the lowest bidder.
The company continues to send many of its accounting and computer jobs to India.
Larger firms enjoy economies of scale, which means they can do the job cheaper.
Staff are currently paid by the job regardless of the time it takes.

› a responsibility that someone or something has:

It's not my job to deal with staff's personal problems.
The assembly's main job is to draft a constitution.

› IT a task which is done by a computer program:

a print job
do a good/bad/better, etc. job of sth also make a good/bad/better, etc. job of sth

› to do something well, badly, better, etc.:

We need to do a better job of marketing the product.
don't give up the day job informal humorous

› used for telling someone that they will never be successful with something they are trying to do and should keep doing their real job instead

jobs for the boys UK disapproving

› work that someone in a position of power gives to friends or relations:

Labour sharply criticized the board's appointment of the former trade minister as an example of jobs for the boys.
it's more than my job's worth UK

› used for telling someone that you cannot do something because you would lose your job if someone discovered you had done it:

It's more than my job's worth to let you into the building after hours.
on the job

› where someone works and while they do their job:

Sixteen coal miners died on the job last year.
walk off the job US

› to stop working and refuse to continue doing your job until your employer agrees to what you want:

Union members threatened to walk off the job unless their employer agreed to stop hiring work out to contractors.

See also

dead-end job
desk job
off-the-job
on-the-job

jobverb [ I ]

uk ​ /dʒɒb/ us ​

› to do work for different people without being employed by them permanently:

job about/around/for After drama school, he spent eight years jobbing about from show to show.
See also
jobbing

Phrasal verb(s)

job sth out

(Definition of “job” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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