works
works Lexical Profile
works Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The complete artistic, literary, or musical productions of an author, composer, or artist viewed collectively, or a plural reference to individual creative pieces.
"The university library recently acquired a rare first edition of the complete works of William Shakespeare."
Large-scale construction, engineering, or maintenance projects built for public use or infrastructure, such as bridges, roads, dams, and sewage systems.
"The municipal department of public works scheduled road repairs and bridge inspections for the summer months."
A place or premises where industrial or manufacturing processes are carried out, such as a factory, mill, or plant (often used in combination, as in ironworks or gasworks).
"The old steel works on the edge of the river employed thousands of local residents for nearly a century."
The operative mechanism or moving parts of a machine, such as the gears and springs of a clock or watch.
"The watchmaker carefully opened the brass casing to inspect the delicate works inside."
Everything available or possible; the full array of options, toppings, or treatments (usually preceded by 'the').
"We ordered a large pizza with the works, including mushrooms, peppers, onions, and olives."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to a factory or industrial plant, 'works' is plural in form but often treated as either singular or plural in construction (e.g., 'an ironworks' or 'the gas works is/are closed').
• Rhymes for works
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'weorc', meaning something done, a deed, action, or military fortification, ultimately from Proto-Germanic '*werka-' and the Proto-Indo-European root '*werg-' (to do).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.