Learn English Verbs

Many verbs have different meanings, however this section deals with verbs about work only as related to jobs from the vocabulary page. An example is provided only where the verb is commonly used in everyday conversation.

Verbs

The Verb (infinitive form)	The Meaning	An example ( Simple Past Tense)	Regular /Irregular
To arrest	To take someone away legally to ask them about a crime which they might have committed.	The police arrested the man on suspicion of murder.	Regular
To bake	To make bread or cakes.	She baked the bread fresh every morning.	Regular
To build	To make something by putting bricks or other materials together.	They built the new houses near the town.	Irregular
To carry	To transport or take something from one place to another.	The porter carried her bags to her room.	Regular
To clean	To make somewhere tidy and clean.	The cleaner cleaned the office yesterday.	Regular
To cook	To prepare food to be eaten by heating it in a particular way .	The chef cooked a beautiful meal.	Regular
To cure	To make someone with an illness healthy again.	The doctor cured his headache.	Regular
To deliver	To take goods, letters, parcels etc. to people's houses or places of work.	The postman delivered my birthday cards.	Regular
To engineer	To design and build something using scientific principles.	They engineered the new building to the highest specifications.	Regular
To extract	To remove or take out something.	The dentist extracted the rotten tooth.	Regular
To fix	To repair something.	The carpenter fixed my broken chair.	Regular
To invent	To design and/or create something which has never been made before.	The scientist invented a new drug.	Regular
To judge	To form, give or have as an opinion, or to decide about something or someone, especially after thinking carefully.	The judge judged him guilty.	Regular
To manage	To be responsible for controlling or organising someone or something especially a business.	He managed the whole department very well.	Regular
To make	To produce something, often using a particular substance or material.	I work for a company that makes garden furniture.	Irregular
To mend	To fix something.	The electrician mended my old computer.	Regular
To nurse	To care for a person or an animal while they are ill.	The nurse nursed the patient.	Regular
To operate	To cut a body open for medical reasons in order to repair, remove or replace a diseased or damaged part.	The surgeon operated on the leg to save it from amputation.	Regular
To phone	To communicate with someone by telephone.	The representative phoned his customer.	Regular
To photograph	To take a photograph of something or someone.	He photographed the murder scene.	Regular
To repair	To mend something.	The plumber repaired my sink.	Regular
To serve	To deal with a customer by taking their order, showing or selling them goods etc.	She served the customer his beer.	Regular
To shave	To remove hair from the body, especially a man's face, by cutting it close to the skin with a razor, so that the skin feels smooth:	The barber shaved him very quickly.	Regular
To type	To write using a machine, either a computer keyboard or a typewriter.	The secretary typed the report.	Regular
To weld	To join two pieces of metal together permanently by melting the parts that touch.	The welder welded the pipes together.	Regular
To work	To do a job.	My mother works as a secretary.	Regular

Phrasal Verbs

The Phrasal Verb	The Meaning	An example ( Simple Past Tense)	S=Separable I=Inseparable
spring-clean	To clean all of a place, especially your house, very well, including parts you do not often clean.	I spring cleaned yesterday.	I
work at	To try hard to achieve something.	They really worked hard at their marriage.	I
work off	If you work off an unpleasant feeling, you get rid of it by doing something energetic.	I worked off my anger at the gym.	S
work out	To calculate or try to understand something.	The policeman worked out what caused the accident.	S
work over	To attack and injure someone.	They worked him over well.	S