operate
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op·er·ate
(ŏp′ə-rāt′)v. op·er·at·ed, op·er·at·ing, op·er·ates
v.intr.
1. To perform a function; work: The motor operates smoothly.
2. To perform surgery.
3.
a. To exert an influence: forces operating on the economy.
b. To produce a desired or proper effect: a drug that operates quickly.
4. To carry on a military or naval action or campaign.
5. Informal To conduct business in an irregular or devious manner: drug dealers operating in residential and urban areas.
v.tr.
1. To control the functioning of; run: operate a sewing machine.
2. To conduct the affairs of; manage: operate a business.
3. To supply with power: a car that is operated by electricity.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
operate
(ˈɒpəˌreɪt)vb
1. to function or cause to function
2. (tr) to control the functioning of: operate a machine.
3. to manage, direct, run, or pursue (a business, system, etc)
4. (intr) to perform a surgical operation (upon a person or animal)
5. (intr) to produce a desired or intended effect
6. (Mathematics) (usually foll by: on) to treat or process in a particular or specific way
7. (Military) (intr) to conduct military or naval operations
8. (Stock Exchange) (intr) to deal in securities on a stock exchange
[C17: from Latin operāri to work]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
op•er•ate
(ˈɒp əˌreɪt)v. -at•ed, -at•ing. v.i.
1. to work, perform, or function, as a machine does.
2. to exert force or influence (often fol. by on or upon).
3. to perform some process of work or treatment.
4. to perform a surgical procedure.
5.
a. to carry on military operations in war.
b. to give orders and carry out military acts, as distinguished from doing staff work.
6. to carry on transactions in securities, or some commodity, esp. speculatively or on a large scale.
7. Informal. to insinuate oneself; finagle.
v.t. 8. to manage or use (a machine, device, etc.).
9. to put or keep (a factory, industrial system, ranch, etc.) in operation.
10. to bring about, effect, or produce, as by action or the exertion of force or influence.
[1600–10; < Late Latin operārī, -āre to work, be efficacious, effect, produce, Latin: to busy oneself, v. derivative of opera effort, work]
op′er•at`a•ble, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
operate
Past participle: operated
Gerund: operating
| Imperative |
|---|
| operate |
| operate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | operate - direct or control; projects, businesses, etc.; "She is running a relief operation in the Sudan" financier - conduct financial operations, often in an unethical manner direct - be in charge of work - operate in or through; "Work the phones" block - run on a block system; "block trains" warm up - run until the normal working temperature is reached; "We warmed up the car for a few minutes" |
| 2. | operate - perform as expected when applied; "The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in"; "Does this old car still run well?"; "This old radio doesn't work anymore" double - do double duty; serve two purposes or have two functions; "She doubles as his wife and secretary" roll - begin operating or running; "The cameras were rolling"; "The presses are already rolling" run - be operating, running or functioning; "The car is still running--turn it off!" cut - function as a cutting instrument; "This knife cuts well" work - operate in or through; "Work the phones" | |
| 3. | operate - handle and cause to function; "do not operate machinery after imbibing alcohol"; "control the lever" synchronise, synchronize - operate simultaneously; "The clocks synchronize" master, control - have a firm understanding or knowledge of; be on top of; "Do you control these data?" dial - operate a dial to select a telephone number; "You must take the receiver off the hook before you dial" manipulate - hold something in one's hands and move it turn - alter the functioning or setting of; "turn the dial to 10"; "turn the heat down" submarine - control a submarine treadle - operate (machinery) by a treadle relay - control or operate by relay gate - control with a valve or other device that functions like a gate pedal - operate the pedals on a keyboard instrument drive - operate or control a vehicle; "drive a car or bus"; "Can you drive this four-wheel truck?" | |
| 4. |  operate - perform a movement in military or naval tactics in order to secure an advantage in attack or defensejockey - compete (for an advantage or a position) | |
| 5. | operate - happen; "What is going on in the minds of the people?" hap, happen, occur, come about, take place, go on, pass off, fall out, pass - come to pass; "What is happening?"; "The meeting took place off without an incidence"; "Nothing occurred that seemed important" | |
| 6. | operate - keep engaged; "engaged the gears" flip, switch, throw - cause to go on or to be engaged or set in operation; "switch on the light"; "throw the lever" ride - keep partially engaged by slightly depressing a pedal with the foot; "Don't ride the clutch!" | |
| 7. | operate - perform surgery on; "The doctors operated on the patient but failed to save his life" practice of medicine, medicine - the learned profession that is mastered by graduate training in a medical school and that is devoted to preventing or alleviating or curing diseases and injuries; "he studied medicine at Harvard" desex, desexualise, desexualize, sterilise, sterilize, unsex, fix - make infertile; "in some countries, people with genetically transmissible disabilites are sterilized" trephine - operate on with a trephine care for, treat - provide treatment for; "The doctor treated my broken leg"; "The nurses cared for the bomb victims"; "The patient must be treated right away or she will die"; "Treat the infection with antibiotics" venesect - practice venesection |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
operate
verb
1. manage, run, direct, handle, govern, oversee, supervise, preside over, be in charge of, call the shots in, superintend, call the tune in Until his death he owned and operated a huge company.
2. function, work, act, be in business, be in action allowing commercial businesses to operate in the country
3. run, work, use, control, drive, manoeuvre The men were trapped as they operated a tunnelling machine.
4. work, go, run, perform, function the number of fax machines operating around the world
work stop, fail, halt, break down, stall, cut out (informal), falter, seize up, conk out (informal)
work stop, fail, halt, break down, stall, cut out (informal), falter, seize up, conk out (informal)
5. perform surgery, carry out surgery, put someone under the knife (informal) The surgeons had to decide quickly whether or not to operate.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
operate
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يُجرَي عَمَلِيَّةٌ جِرَاحِيَةٌيُجْري عَمَلِيَّةً جِراحِيَّهيُشَغِّلُيَعْمَل، تَعْمَل الآلَه
fungovatoperovat
opererevirkedrivefungere
leikatatoimia
operirativoditi
operál
ganga, vera í gangiskera upp
手術する操作する
수술하다작동하다
daryti operacijąkovos veiksmaioperacijaoperacinėoperacinis
darbotiesoperētstrādāt
operovať
delovatioperiratiupravljati
drivaoperera
ปฏิบัติผ่าตัด
mổvận hành
operate
[ˈɒpəreɪt]A. VT
1. (= work) [+ machine, vehicle, switchboard] → manejar; [+ switch, lever] → accionar
can you operate this machine? → ¿sabes manejar esta máquina?
this switch operates a fan → este interruptor activa un ventilador
can you operate this machine? → ¿sabes manejar esta máquina?
this switch operates a fan → este interruptor activa un ventilador
B. VI
1. (= function) [machine, system, principle, mind] → funcionar; [person] → actuar, obrar; [law] → regir
she knows how to operate in a crisis → sabe cómo actuar or obrar en los momentos difíciles
we operate on the principle that → partimos del principio de que ...
special laws operate in Northern Ireland → en Irlanda del Norte rigen leyes especiales
she knows how to operate in a crisis → sabe cómo actuar or obrar en los momentos difíciles
we operate on the principle that → partimos del principio de que ...
special laws operate in Northern Ireland → en Irlanda del Norte rigen leyes especiales
2. (= act, influence) [drug, propaganda] → actuar (on sobre) [factors] → intervenir
advertising operates on the subconscious → la publicidad actúa sobre el subconsciente
advertising operates on the subconscious → la publicidad actúa sobre el subconsciente
3. (= carry on one's business) [person] → trabajar; [company, factory, criminal, service] → operar; [airport] → funcionar
we shall be operating under difficult conditions → trabajaremos en unas condiciones difíciles
we were operating at a loss → estábamos operando con déficit
an airline operating out of Heathrow → una compañía aérea con base en Heathrow or que opera desde Heathrow
a drug ring operating in New York → una red de narcotráfico que opera en Nueva York
this service does not operate on Sundays → este servicio no opera or no funciona los domingos
all flights are operating normally → todos los vuelos están operando con normalidad
we shall be operating under difficult conditions → trabajaremos en unas condiciones difíciles
we were operating at a loss → estábamos operando con déficit
an airline operating out of Heathrow → una compañía aérea con base en Heathrow or que opera desde Heathrow
a drug ring operating in New York → una red de narcotráfico que opera en Nueva York
this service does not operate on Sundays → este servicio no opera or no funciona los domingos
all flights are operating normally → todos los vuelos están operando con normalidad
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
operate
[ˈɒpəreɪt] vt
[+ machine] → faire marcher, faire fonctionner
How do you operate the video? → Comment fait-on fonctionner le magnétoscope?
How do you operate the video? → Comment fait-on fonctionner le magnétoscope?
[+ company, organization] → exploiter
He operated an enormous pear orchard → Il exploitait un immense verger de poiriers.
He operated an enormous pear orchard → Il exploitait un immense verger de poiriers.
vi (= work) → fonctionner
I don't know how the electoral system operates in France → Je ne sais pas comment fonctionne le système électoral en France.
to operate on the same principle → fonctionner sur le même principe
I don't know how the electoral system operates in France → Je ne sais pas comment fonctionne le système électoral en France.
to operate on the same principle → fonctionner sur le même principe
[organization, company] → opérer
the multinational companies which operate in their country → les multinationales qui opèrent dans leur pays
the multinational companies which operate in their country → les multinationales qui opèrent dans leur pays
[natural law] → opérer
[surgeon] → opérer
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
operate
vi
(machine, mechanism) → funktionieren; (= be powered) → betrieben werden (by, on mit); (= be in operation) → laufen, in Betrieb sein; (fig: worker) → arbeiten; how does it operate? → wie funktioniert es?; to operate at maximum capacity (lit, fig) → Höchstleistung bringen
(theory, plan, law) → sich auswirken; (causes, factors) → hinwirken (→ on, for auf +acc); (organization, system) → arbeiten; (medicine) → wirken; I don’t understand how his mind operates → ich verstehe seine Gedankengänge nicht; to operate against somebody/something → gegen jdn/etw wirken; to operate in favour of somebody/something → zugunsten or zu Gunsten von jdm/etw wirken
(= carry on one’s business) → operieren; (company) → operieren, Geschäfte tätigen; (airport, station) → in Betrieb sein; (buses, planes) → verkehren; I don’t like the way he operates → ich mag seine Methoden nicht; that firm operates by defrauding its customers → es gehört zu den (Geschäfts)methoden der Firma, die Kunden zu betrügen
(Mil) → operieren
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
operate
[ˈɒpəˌreɪt]1. vt
a. (machine, switchboard, brakes) → azionare, far funzionare
a machine operated by electricity → una macchina funzionante a corrente (elettrica)
can you operate this tool? → sai usare questo strumento?
a machine operated by electricity → una macchina funzionante a corrente (elettrica)
can you operate this tool? → sai usare questo strumento?
2. vi
a. (function, machine, mind) → funzionare
b. (drug, propaganda) → agire
d. (Med) → operare, intervenire (su)
to operate on sb → operare qn
to be operated on → subire un'operazione f or un intervento (chirurgico)
she was operated on for appendicitis → fu operata di appendicite
to operate on sb → operare qn
to be operated on → subire un'operazione f or un intervento (chirurgico)
she was operated on for appendicitis → fu operata di appendicite
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
operate
(ˈopəreit) verb1. to act or work. The sewing-machine isn't operating properly.
2. to do or perform a surgical operation. The surgeon operated on her for appendicitis.
ˌopeˈration noun1. an action or process, especially when planned. a rescue operation.
2. the process of working. Our plan is now in operation.
3. the act of surgically cutting a part of the body in order to cure disease. an operation for appendicitis.
4. (often in plural) the movement, fighting etc of armies. The general was in command of operations in the north.
ˌopeˈrational adjective in good working order.
ˈoperative (-rətiv) , ((American) -reitiv) adjective in action, having effect. Many old laws are still operative.
ˈoperator noun1. a person who works a machine. a lift operator.
2. a person who connects telephone calls. Ask the operator to connect you to that number.
ˈoperating room noun (sometimes theatre) the room in a hospital in which operations are performed.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
operate
→ يُجرَي عَمَلِيَّةٌ جِرَاحِيَةٌ, يُشَغِّلُ fungovat, operovat drive, operere funktionieren, operieren εγχειρίζω, λειτουργώ funcionar, operar leikata, toimia opérer operirati, voditi dirigere, operare 手術する, 操作する 수술하다, 작동하다 beheren, opereren betjene, operere zadziałać, zoperować dirigir, funcionar, operar действовать, оперировать driva, operera ปฏิบัติ, ผ่าตัด ameliyat etmek, işlemek mổ, vận hành 手术, 操作Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
op·er·ate
v. operar, intervenir, proceder.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
operate
vt, vi operar; to operate machinery..operar maquinaria… We need to operate on your leg..Tenemos que operarle (de) la pierna.English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.