job

Etymology

From the phrase jobbe of work "piece of work", from Middle English jobbe (“piece, article”). Of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to Middle English gobbe "lump, mouthful", Middle English jobben (“to jab, thrust, peck”), or Middle English choppe (“piece, bargain”). More at gob, jab, chop

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: jŏb, IPA^(key): /d͡ʒɒb/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒb
• (US) enPR: jäb, IPA^(key): /d͡ʒɑb/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

job (plural jobs)

1. A task.

   I've got a job for you - could you wash the dishes?

   A job half done is hardly done at all.

   • 1996, Tom Cruise in the movie Jerry Maguire

     And it's my job to take care of the skanks on the road that you bang.

2. An economic role for which a person is paid.

   That surgeon has a great job.

   He's been out of a job since being made redundant in January.

   • 2013 August 10, Schumpeter, “Cronies and capitols”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:

     Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult. Businesspeople have every right to lobby governments, and civil servants to take jobs in the private sector.

3. (in noun compounds) Plastic surgery.

   He had had a nose job.

4. (computing) A task, or series of tasks, carried out in batch mode (especially on a mainframe computer).
5. (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought): A sudden thrust or stab; a jab.
6. A public transaction done for private profit; something performed ostensibly as a part of official duty, but really for private gain; a corrupt official business.
7. Any affair or event which affects one, whether fortunately or unfortunately.
8. A thing (often used in a vague way to refer to something whose name one cannot recall).

Verb

job (third-person singular simple present jobs, present participle jobbing, simple past and past participle jobbed)

1. (intransitive) To do odd jobs or occasional work for hire.
   • Moore

     Authors of all work, to job for the season.

2. (intransitive) To work as a jobber.
3. (intransitive, professional wrestling slang) To take the loss.
4. (transitive, trading) To buy and sell for profit, as securities; to speculate in.
5. (transitive, often with out) To subcontract a project or delivery in small portions to a number of contractors.

   We wanted to sell a turnkey plant, but they jobbed out the contract to small firms.

6. (intransitive) To seek private gain under pretence of public service; to turn public matters to private advantage.
   • Alexander Pope

     And judges job, and bishops bite the town.

7. To strike or stab with a pointed instrument.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of L'Estrange to this entry?)

8. To thrust in, as a pointed instrument.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Moxon to this entry?)

9. To hire or let in periods of service.

   to job a carriage

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Thackeray to this entry?)

Derived terms

See also

• employment
• work
• labour

Anagrams

• obj

Etymology

Borrowed from English job.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʒɔb/
• (Quebec, Louisiana) IPA^(key): /dʒɔb/

Noun

job m, f (plural jobs)

1. (informal) job (employment role)
2. (Quebec, informal) work

Further reading

• “job” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Etymology

Borrowed from English job.

Noun

job m (invariable)

1. job (employment role, computing task)

Etymology

Borrowed from English job.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdʒɔbi/
• (Rarely) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒɔb/

Noun

job m (plural jobs)

1. (computing) job (task carried out in batch mode)