Definitions for operate
ˈɒp əˌreɪtop·er·ate

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. operate, runverb

   direct or control; projects, businesses, etc.

   "She is running a relief operation in the Sudan"

2. function, work, operate, go, runverb

   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"

3. operate, controlverb

   handle and cause to function

   "do not operate machinery after imbibing alcohol"; "control the lever"

4. manoeuver, maneuver, manoeuvre, operateverb

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

5. operateverb

   happen

   "What is going on in the minds of the people?"

6. engage, mesh, lock, operateverb

   keep engaged

   "engaged the gears"

7. operate on, operateverb

   perform surgery on

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

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. operateverb

   To perform a work or labour; to exert power or strength, physical or mechanical; to act.

   Etymology: From operatus, past participle of operari, from opus, operis.

2. operateverb

   To produce an appropriate physical effect; to issue in the result designed by nature; especially (Med.), to take appropriate effect on the human system.

   Etymology: From operatus, past participle of operari, from opus, operis.

3. operateverb

   To act or produce effect on the mind; to exert moral power or influence.

   Etymology: From operatus, past participle of operari, from opus, operis.

4. operateverb

   To perform some manual act upon a human body in a methodical manner, and usually with instruments, with a view to restore soundness or health, as in amputation, lithotomy, etc.

   Etymology: From operatus, past participle of operari, from opus, operis.

5. operateverb

   To deal in stocks or any commodity with a view to speculative profits.

   Etymology: From operatus, past participle of operari, from opus, operis.

6. operateverb

   To produce, as an effect; to cause.

   Etymology: From operatus, past participle of operari, from opus, operis.

7. operateverb

   To put into, or to continue in, operation or activity; to work; as, to operate a machine.

   Etymology: From operatus, past participle of operari, from opus, operis.

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Operate

   "Operate" is a Dance-punk song written and recorded by Peaches. The song was released as a double limited vinyl A-side with "Shake Yer Dix" to promote the release of her second studio album Fatherfucker.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Operate

   op′ėr-āt, v.i. to work: to exert strength: to produce any effect: to exert moral power: (med.) to take effect upon the human system: (surg.) to perform some unusual act upon the body with the hand or an instrument.—v.t. to effect: to produce by agency.—n. Operam′eter, an instrument for indicating the number of movements made by a part of a machine.—adj. Op′erant, operative.—n. an operator.—n. Operā′tion, art or process of operating, or of being at work: that which is done or carried out: agency: influence: method of working: action or movements: surgical performance.—adj. Op′erātive, having the power of operating or acting: exerting force: producing effects: efficacious.—n. a workman in a manufactory: a labourer.—adv. Op′erātively.—ns. Op′erātiveness; Op′erātor, one who, or that which, operates or produces an effect: (math.) a letter, &c., signifying an operation to be performed. [L. operāri, -ātus—opera, work, closely conn. with opus, operis, work.]

Matched Categories

1. • Direct
   • Manipulate

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'operate' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2552

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'operate' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3144

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'operate' in Verbs Frequency: #225

How to pronounce operate?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say operate in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of operate in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of operate in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of operate in a Sentence

1. Sean Ryan:

   These new regulations were imposed by the superintendent without any prior notification or input from the parents, and without an actual vote from the school board, this demonstrates exactly what we’ve known for years: Radical activists can only win when they operate in secret. If the superintendent actually held an open forum, this policy would not have been passed.

2. Scott Gottlieb:

   Our generics and biosimilars programs will however be impacted should the lapse in funding continue, we continue to operate the programs using carryover user fees, and we'll prioritize work that impacts public safety, as this is our foremost priority.

3. Richard Dearlove:

   No part of the Communist Chinese state is ultimately able to operate free of the control exercised by its Communist Party leadership, we should also not be influenced by the threat of the economic cost of either delaying 5G or having to settle for a less capable and more expensive provider.

4. Defense Secretary Mark Esper:

   We are prepared to distribute to HHS up to 2,000 deployable ventilators for use as needed. These machines are different from their civilian equivalents and require special training to operate, but we are committed to supporting HHS's requirements in any way we can, the department has made our 14 certified coronavirus testing labs available to test non-DOD personnel as well, and we will soon offer two additional labs for that purpose. We hope this will provide excess capacity to the civilian population.

5. Alfonso Daniels of the ODI:

   Instead of jobs and development, the livelihoods of local fishers are being decimated by foreign fishing fleets, which operate virtually unchecked.

Images & Illustrations of operate

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