Library / English Dictionary

OPERATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Perform surgery on

Example:

The doctors operated on the patient but failed to save his life

Synonyms:

operate; operate on

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "operate" is one way to...):

care for; treat (provide treatment for)

Domain category:

medicine; practice of 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)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "operate"):

desex; desexualise; desexualize; fix; sterilise; sterilize; unsex (make infertile)

face-lift; lift (perform cosmetic surgery on someone's face)

trephine (operate on with a trephine)

venesect (practice venesection)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Did he operate his foot?

Derivation:

operation (a medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body)

operative (relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Perform a movement in military or naval tactics in order to secure an advantage in attack or defense

Synonyms:

maneuver; manoeuver; manoeuvre; operate

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "operate" is one way to...):

go; move (have a turn; make one's move in a game)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "operate"):

jockey (compete (for an advantage or a position))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

operation (activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Handle and cause to function

Example:

control the lever

Synonyms:

control; operate

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "operate" is one way to...):

manipulate (hold something in one's hands and move it)

Verb group:

control; master (have a firm understanding or knowledge of; be on top of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "operate"):

aviate; fly; pilot (operate an airplane)

drive (operate or control a vehicle)

pedal (operate the pedals on a keyboard instrument)

gate (control with a valve or other device that functions like a gate)

relay (control or operate by relay)

treadle (operate (machinery) by a treadle)

submarine (control a submarine)

turn (alter the functioning or setting of)

dial (operate a dial to select a telephone number)

synchronise; synchronize (operate simultaneously)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

operation (the activity of operating something (a machine or business etc.))

operative ((of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing)

operator (an agent that operates some apparatus or machine)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Keep engaged

Example:

engaged the gears

Synonyms:

engage; lock; mesh; operate

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "operate" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "operate"):

flip; switch; throw (cause to go on or to be engaged or set in operation)

ride (keep partially engaged by slightly depressing a pedal with the foot)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

operation (the activity of operating something (a machine or business etc.))

operation (the state of being in effect or being operative)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Perform as expected when applied

Example:

This old radio doesn't work anymore

Synonyms:

function; go; operate; run; work

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Verb group:

run (be operating, running or functioning)

work (operate in or through)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "operate"):

double (do double duty; serve two purposes or have two functions)

roll (begin operating or running)

run (be operating, running or functioning)

cut (function as a cutting instrument)

serve; service (be used by; as of a utility)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

These cars won't operate

Derivation:

operant (having influence or producing an effect)

operation (a process or series of acts especially of a practical or mechanical nature involved in a particular form of work)

operation (process or manner of functioning or operating)

operative ((of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Direct or control; projects, businesses, etc.

Example:

She is running a relief operation in the Sudan

Synonyms:

operate; run

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "operate" is one way to...):

direct (be in charge of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "operate"):

financier (conduct financial operations)

work (operate in or through)

block (run on a block system)

warm up (run until the normal working temperature is reached)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

operation (the activity of operating something (a machine or business etc.))

operation (a business especially one run on a large scale)

operator (someone who owns or operates a business)

Credits

 Context examples: 

"The reality is that we've been operating with a skewed view of ocean phosphate," Lomas said.

(Study reveals new patterns of key ocean nutrient, National Science Foundation)

Operating most effectively in a particular direction.

(Directionality, NCI Thesaurus)

I had imagined you as operating from the street, where my friend, Lestrade and his merry men were awaiting you.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The National Research Council organized by NAS serves as the principal operating agency to stimulate and support research.

(National Academy of Science, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A person that operates some apparatus or machine.

(Operator, NCI Thesaurus)

A surgeon removes or repairs a part of the body by operating on the patient.

(Pediatric surgeon, NCI Dictionary)

Here was a change, and here were claims which could not but operate!

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Issue associated with malfunction of the computer operating system as opposed to an application software issue.

(Operating System Interface Becomes Non-Functional Software Problem Associated with Medical Device, Food and Drug Administration)

An office within the National Institutes of Health that supports the organization's mission by providing, maintaining, and operating safe, healthy, and attractive facilities.

(Offices of Research Facilities Development and Operations, NCI Thesaurus)

Operating with minimal human intervention; independent of external control.

(Automatic, NCI Thesaurus)