Definitions for operate
ˈɒp əˌreɪtop·er·ate

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

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"

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. operateverb

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

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.

3. operateverb

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

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.

5. operateverb

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

6. operateverb

   To produce, as an effect; to cause.

7. operateverb

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

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

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. To OPERATEverb

   To act; to have agency; to produce effects.

   Etymology: operor, Latin; operer, French.

   The virtues of private persons operate but on a few; their sphere of action is narrow, and their influence is confined to it. Francis Atterbury, Sermons.

   Bodies produce ideas in us, manifestly by impulse, the only way which we can conceive bodies operate in. John Locke.

   It can operate on the guts and stomach, and thereby produce distinct ideas. John Locke.

   A plain convincing reason operates on the mind, both of a learned and ignorant hearer as long as they live. Jonathan Swift.

   Where causes operate freely, with a liberty of indifference to this or the contrary, the effect will be contingent, and the certain knowledge of it belongs only to God. Isaac Watts.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Operate

   Operate is a 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.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. operate

   To operate typically means to control or manage the functioning of a machine, system, or process. It can also mean to manipulate or perform a specific action, often in a skillful manner. Additionally, it can refer to conducting or carrying out a procedure, typically in a professional or calculated manner, such as a surgeon operates on a patient.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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 DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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. Andrew Kaiser:

   An extra three, four, five days could be the difference between a business continuing to operate and them saying,' We can't move forward,'.

2. President Ming Maa:

   We certainly do not have a monopoly in these markets, there is vibrant competition in every single market that we operate in.

3. Newmont Chief Executive Gary Goldberg:

   In the meantime we continue to operate at full capacity. The last export shipment was earlier today.

4. Joamir Alves:

   If it weren't for our need to generate rapid cash flow to operate, we would still be with Copersucar.

5. Barack Obama:

   I guarantee you that in European capitals, there are people who are interested in, if not what I had for breakfast, at least what my talking points might be should I end up meeting with their leaders, that is how intelligence services operate.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=operate
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Operate
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=operate
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operate
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=operate
7. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=operate