Origin and history of work

Middle English werk, from Old English weorc, worc "a deed, something done, action (whether voluntary or required), proceeding, business;" also "that which is made or manufactured, products of labor," also "physical labor, toil; skilled trade, craft, or occupation; opportunity of expending labor in some useful or remunerative way;" also "military fortification." This is reconstructed to be from Proto-Germanic *werka- "work," from a suffixed form of PIE root *werg- "to do."

The meaning "physical effort, exertion" is attested by c. 1200, as are those of "scholarly labor" and "artistic labor" or their productions. The specific meaning "embroidery, stitchery, needlepoint" is from late 13c.

The sense of "labor as a measurable commodity" is from c. 1300.

Work of art attested by 1774 as "artistic creation," earlier (1728) "artifice, production of humans" (as opposed to by nature). Work ethic is by 1955. To be out of work "unemployed" is from 1590s. To make clean work of is from c. 1300; to make short work of is from 1640s.

Proverbial expression many hands make light work is from c. 1300. To have (one's) work cut out for one is from 1610s; to have it prepared and prescribed, hence, to have all one can handle. Work in progress is by 1880 in accounts of construction projects, etc.; also a specific term in accountancy and parliamentary procedure. General figurative sense is by 1930.

Work is less boring than amusing oneself. [Baudelaire, "Mon Coeur mis a nu," 1862]

Germanic cognates include Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Dutch werk, Old Norse verk, Middle Dutch warc, Old High German werah, German Werk, Gothic gawaurki.

"act, operate, put forth effort in the accomplishment of something," a fusion of Old English wyrcan (past tense worhte, past participle geworht) "prepare, perform, do, make, construct, produce by labor or craft; strive after" (from Proto-Germanic *wurkjanan); and Old English wircan (Mercian) "to operate, function, set (events) in motion," a secondary verb formed relatively late from Proto-Germanic noun *werkan- (see work (n.)).

The sense of "perform physical labor, do service or humble tasks" was in Old English, as was sense of "ply one's trade" and "exert creative power, be a creator."

The transitive sense "knead or manipulate (physical substances) into a desired state or form" also was in Old English. The meaning "have the expected or desired effect" is from late 14c. Related: Worked (15c.); wrought; working.

To work against "attempt to subvert" is from late 14c. To work one's way "have one's will" is by early 14c. To work in "insert, introduce or intermix," as one material with another, is by 1670s; hence the figurative sense "cause to enter or penetrate by repeated efforts."

To work over "beat up, thrash" is from 1927; as a noun, working-over is by 1960.