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   op·er·ate

   /ˈäpəˌrāt/

   verb

   • 1. (of a person) control the functioning of (a machine, process, or system): "a shortage of workers to operate new machines" Similar workmake gorunset offuseutilizeemployhandlecontrolwieldplymanagebe in charge ofdrivesteerguidepilotmanipulatemaneuverexercise
   • ▪ (of a machine, process, or system) function in a specified manner: "market forces were allowed to operate freely" Similar functionworkgorunperformactbe in actionbehavebe in working/running orderbe operativetake effectactbe in effectbe in forcebe in operationstandapplybe appliedrunbe/remain validbe currentfunctionbe efficacioushold goodbe the caseOpposite break downfail
   • ▪ be in effect: "there is a powerful law that operates in politics"
   • ▪ (of a person or organization) manage and run (a business): "many foreign companies operate factories in the U.S" Similar directcontrolmanagerunconductcarry ongovernadministersuperintendhead (up)leadlook aftersuperviseoverseepreside overbe in control/charge of
   • ▪ (of an organization) be managed and run in a specified way: "neither company had operated within the terms of its charter"
   • ▪ (of an armed force) conduct military activities in a specified area or from a specified base: "the mountain bases from which the guerrillas were operating"
   • 2. perform a surgical operation: "surgeons operated on on his jaw yesterday morning" Similar perform surgerycarry out an operationinterveneinformal:put someone under the knife

   Word Origin early 17th century: from Latin operat- ‘done by labor’, from the verb operari, from opus, oper- ‘work’.

   Scrabble Points: 9

   • O

     1

   • P

     3

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

   • A

     1

   • T

     1

   • E

     1

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