the activity of operating something (a machine or business etc.); "her smooth operation of the vehicle gave us a surprisingly comfortable ride"
a planned activity involving many people performing various actions; "they organized a rescue operation"; "the biggest police operation in French history"; "running a restaurant is quite an operation"; "consolidate the companies various operations"
a process or series of acts especially of a practical or mechanical nature involved in a particular form of work; "the operations in building a house"; "certain machine tool operations"
a medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body; "they will schedule the operation as soon as an operating room is available"; "he died while undergoing surgery"
activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign); "it was a joint operation of the navy and air force"
a business especially one run on a large scale; "a large-scale farming operation"; "a multinational operation"; "they paid taxes on every stage of the operation"; "they had to consolidate their operations"
(computer science) data processing in which the result is completely specified by a rule (especially the processing that results from a single instruction); "it can perform millions of operations per second"
process or manner of functioning or operating; "the power of its engine determine its operation"; "the plane's operation in high winds"; "they compared the cooking performance of each oven"; "the jet's performance conformed to high standards"
the state of being in effect or being operative; "that rule is no longer in operation"
the act of using; "he warned against the use of narcotic drugs"; "skilled in the utilization of computers"
a particular service; "he put his knowledge to good use"; "patrons have their uses"
(law) the exercise of the legal right to enjoy the benefits of owning property; "we were given the use of his boat"
use up, consume fully; "The legislature expended its time on school questions"
put into service; make work or employ (something) for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose; "use your head!"; "we only use Spanish at home"; "I can't use this tool"; "Apply a magnetic field here"; "This thinking was applied to many projects"; "How do you utilize this tool?"; "I apply this rule to get good results"; "use the plastic bags to store the food"; "He doesn't know how to use a computer"
take or consume (regularly or habitually); "She uses drugs rarely"
habitually do something (use only in the past tense); "She used to call her mother every week but now she calls only occasionally"; "I used to get sick when I ate in that dining hall"; "They used to vacation in the Bahamas"
seek or achieve an end by using to one's advantage; "She uses her influential friends to get jobs"; "The president's wife used her good connections"
the world of commercial activity where goods and services are bought and sold; "without competition there would be no market"; "they were driven from the marketplace"
the securities markets in the aggregate; "the market always frustrates the small investor"
the customers for a particular product or service; "before they publish any book they try to determine the size of the market for it"
engage in the commercial promotion, sale, or distribution of; "The company is marketing its new line of beauty products"
deal in a market
buy household supplies; "We go marketing every Saturday"
change in outward structure or looks; "He transformed into a monster"; "The salesman metamorphosed into an ugly beetle"
increase or decrease (an alternating current or voltage)
change (a bacterial cell) into a genetically distinct cell by the introduction of DNA from another cell of the same or closely related species
convert (one form of energy) to another; "transform energy to light"
change or alter in form, appearance, or nature; "This experience transformed her completely"; "She transformed the clay into a beautiful sculpture"; "transubstantiate one element into another"
a commercial product that refills a container with its appropriate contents; "he got a refill for his ball-point pen"; "he got a refill for his notebook"
a prescription drug that is provided again; "he got a refill of his prescription"; "the prescription specified only one refill"