I was born a word nerd. I read dictionaries as a kid and prided myself on how many synonyms I could name for everyday words like destroy and enjoy. Maybe that explains my problem with standard definitions of the word “work,” most of whose synonyms pivot around sweat, toil, and labor — terms that don’t always capture what passes for work these days. That’s because for millions of us, technology has reshaped the mechanics and structure of our jobs to the point where what we all agree is “work” can be wildly different. Yet the word “work” is still applied like peanut butter across every occupation, be it software engineer or sales clerk. And that’s no surprise given that the word “work” has been so muddied by common parlance that it has ceased to mean anything exact.
Think about it. The examples scatter through the English language like so many colored sprinkles on a birthday cake. Piece of work. Workaholic. Work around. Work out. Workout. Blood work. Team work. Work order. Office work. Make work. Line work. Work of art. Reference work. Scut work. Work party.
How to escape this murky lexicon, this flustering fly trap of semantics? Be like a surgeon, I decided. Sever the word “work” from the sinewy clutches of “job,” and let it breathe on its own. At the same time, put work on a diet. Help it tone up and slim down. Only then will explanations about work’s importance or value sing the…
