job
job
Job (noun) means a paid position of regular employment. Example: “She finally landed a job at the local hospital.”
noun
1
A paid position of regular employment.
"She finally landed a job at the local hospital."
"He's been searching for a new job for months."
"My brother's job at the bank means he starts work very early."
2
A particular task or piece of work to be done.
"Painting the fence is a job for the weekend."
"Cleaning out the garage turned out to be a bigger job than we expected."
"Could you do a quick job for me and post these letters?"
3
Informal for a robbery or heist.
"The gang pulled off one last job before retiring."
"Police think the same crew was behind the jewellery shop job."
"He boasted to his cellmate about the bank job he had planned."
4
A corrupt or self-serving act carried out under the appearance of official duty.
"Critics called the contract award a complete job, rigged from the start."
"The inquiry concluded that the planning approval was a put-up job by insiders."
"Voters suspected the new road contract was a job to reward friends of the council."
verb
1
To work irregularly, taking on individual pieces of paid work.
"He jobbed as a handyman between full-time contracts."
"She jobbed around the city for a year, doing gardening and removal work."
"Between terms, the students jobbed on farms wherever extra hands were needed."
How to use job
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost commonly, paid work or employment — but also any task, and informally a robbery.
Common mistake
Job (lowercase) meaning work is unrelated to Job the biblical figure — the connection is coincidental spelling, not etymology.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
land a job
do a good job
pull a job
lose one's job
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Word forms
- Plural
- jobs
- Third person singular
- jobs
- Past tense
- jobbed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She finally landed a _____ at the local hospital.
Etymology
From the Middle English phrase "jobbe of work" (a piece of work); ultimate origin uncertain.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “job” mean?
The word “job” means a paid position of regular employment. In plain terms, most commonly, paid work or employment — but also any task, and informally a robbery.
How do you pronounce “job”?
“Job” is pronounced job (/dʒɑb/ in IPA).
How do you use “job” in a sentence?
Here is “job” used in a sentence: “She finally landed a job at the local hospital.”
What part of speech is “job”?
Depending on how it is used, “job” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “job” come from?
The word “job” comes from Middle English. From the Middle English phrase "jobbe of work" (a piece of work); ultimate origin uncertain.
Is “job” a common word?
“Job” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “job” have?
“Job” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a paid position of regular employment.
What is the difference between a job and a career?
A job is a specific paid position — the particular role you hold, such as a cashier or a nurse. A career is the longer path of professional life, often spanning many jobs in the same field over years. You can change jobs several times while building a single career.
What is the difference between a job and work?
A job is a specific paid position of regular employment. 'Work' is the broader activity or effort itself, which can exist with or without pay — housework and volunteering are work but not jobs. In short, a job is something you have, while work is something you do.
What are the main types of job?
Jobs are often grouped by hours and arrangement: full-time and part-time roles, temporary or seasonal positions, permanent posts, and freelance or contract work. They can also be described by pay structure — salaried or hourly — or by field, such as manual, office, skilled, or professional work.
What is an example of a job?
Common examples include teacher, nurse, electrician, driver, shop assistant, and software developer. Each is a paid position of regular employment with defined duties and set hours. Almost any role someone is paid to do on an ongoing basis — from farming to accountancy — counts as a job.
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