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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

task en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /task/ (Northern-England, Scotland)
  • täsk (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /tæsk/ (General-American)
  • (US) audio
  • /tɑːsk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • tăsk (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English taske (“task, tax”), from Old Northern French tasque, (compare Old French variant tasche), from Medieval Latin tasca, alteration of taxa, from Latin taxō (“to censure; to charge”). Doublet of tax.

Meanings

  1. (countable) A piece of work done as part of one’s duties.
    • daily task, monotonous task, regular task, parental task
    • The employee refused to complete the assignment, arguing that it was not one of the tasks listed in her job description.
  2. (uncountable) A piece of work done as part of one’s duties. ▸ A state of diligence in work on a task.
    • I put him to task on the chores.
  3. (countable) A piece of work done as part of one’s duties. ▸ Any piece of work done.
    • complete a task
    • Irregular bedtimes may disrupt healthy brain development in young children, according to a study of intelligence and sleeping habits. ¶ Going to bed at a different time each night affected girls more than boys, but both fared worse on mental tasks than children who had a set bedtime, researchers found. 2013 July 19, Ian Sample, “Irregular bedtimes may affect children's brains”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 34:
    • carry out a task
  4. (countable) A piece of work done as part of one’s duties. ▸ A single action undertaken by a given agent.
    • Each member of the team completed tasks in service of the goal.
    • [T]here is a well-defined run in which the stages of Atalanta’s run are punctuated by finite rests, arguably showing the possibility of completing an infinite series of finite tasks in a finite time 2002 April 30, “Zeno’s Paradoxes”, in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy:
  5. (countable) A piece of work done as part of one’s duties. ▸ A difficult or tedious undertaking; a substantial project.
    • As the world's drug habit shows, governments are failing in their quest to monitor every London window-box and Andean hillside for banned plants. But even that Sisyphean task looks easy next to the fight against synthetic drugs. No sooner has a drug been blacklisted than chemists adjust their recipe and start churning out a subtly different one. 2013 August 10, “A new prescription”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
    • Getting him to change his behavior will be quite a task for you.
    • Solving the economy is an enormous task for the ministry.
    • I'm currently working on the task she gave me, alphabetizing all of those print files.
  6. (countable) A piece of work done as part of one’s duties. ▸ An objective or duty.
    • Your task is the elimination of the termites.
  7. (countable) A piece of work done as part of one’s duties. ▸ A process or execution of a program.
    • The user killed the frozen task.
  8. (uncountable) State of being subject to reprimands.
    • I hope somebody has brought him to task by now.
    • I will put him to task for what he's done.
    • call to task, take to task
    • Can she hold us to task for that?
  9. (countable, obsolete) A tax or charge.
    • Art thou the Collector of the Kings taske? […] Thou haſt thy taske money for all that be heere, […] 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act I:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
tasks Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

taskable · task-negative · task manager · Sternberg task · task group · tasklike · task control · eigentask · task-positive · overtask · tasksetter · task failed successfully · taskless · on task · take to task · outtask · metatask · tasklet · hypertask · tasksetting · intratask · multitasking · taskscape · tasklist · task force · tasky · task-force · taskboard · supertask · taskwork · tasksheet · task-specific · attask · task-oriented · tasktray · taskmaster · intertask · monotask · taskpad · pretask · microtask · taskset · tasker · Sally-Anne task · call to task · taskmistress · subtask · taskbar · utility task vehicle · retask

Hypernyms

roster · roster · roster · roster · roster · roster · roster

Synonyms

job · chore · objective · assignment · assignment · job · job · levy · job · assignment · assignment · chore · job · process · chore · see: Thesaurus:goal · assignment · hot seat · job · goal · chore · chore · chore · chore · assignment · assignment · job

Translations (182)

nn oppgåve (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · gl angueira (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · de Pflicht (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fi tehtävä (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · az vəzifə (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · uk завда́ння (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ka ამოცანა (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ru зада́ча (objective) · fi suoritus (difficult or tedious undertaking) · bg цел (objective) · bg зада́ние (objective) · mi taumahi (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fi tehtävä (difficult or tedious undertaking) · pl zadanie (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · bg зада́ча (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · es cometido (objective) · vi nhiệm vụ (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · enm taske (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ja 目標 (objective) · nl opgave (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · mk задача (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · sk úloha (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · nah tequiua (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · oc tasca (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · prs وَظِیفَه (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · he מְשִׂימָה (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fr corvée (difficult or tedious undertaking) · gl tarefa (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · be цэль (objective) · cmn 課題 /课题 (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · tr ödev (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ja 問題 (difficult or tedious undertaking) · vi mục tiêu (objective) · it attività (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · cs úloha (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fi tekeminen (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · uk мета́ (objective) · ko 문제 (difficult or tedious undertaking) · tl abyad (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · it compito (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ca tasca (difficult or tedious undertaking) · ja タスク (process or execution of a program) · cy tasg (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fa-ira هَدَف (objective) · nl doel (objective) · tg вазифа (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · da opgave (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · hi काम (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · mr कार्य (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ka საქმე (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · et töö (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · cmn 作業 /作业 (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ar مُهِمَّة (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · tr görev (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · vi mục đích (objective) · uk ціль (objective) · kw oberen (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ja 課題 (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · uk завда́ння (objective) · ko 목표 (objective) · la pensum (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · gl obxectivo (objective) · got 𐍄𐌰𐌿𐌹 (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · pt tarefa (process or execution of a program) · be зада́ча (difficult or tedious undertaking) · ug ۋەزىپە (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ar مَقْصَد (objective) · es tanda (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ru цель (objective) · ru зада́ча (difficult or tedious undertaking) · it task (process or execution of a program) · cs úkol (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · de Aufgabe (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · es bolado (objective) · fr tâche (difficult or tedious undertaking) · uk зада́ча (difficult or tedious undertaking) · es encomienda (objective) · mn даалгавар (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · da job (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · az tapşırıq (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · el εργασία (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · mn зорилго (objective) · sl cilj (objective) · ca tasca (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ro sarcină (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ru зада́ча (process or execution of a program) · nl taak (process or execution of a program) · pt dever (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · sl naloga (objective) · et ülesanne (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ky тапшырма (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · kw rann ober (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · nb oppgave (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · be зада́ньне (objective) · it obiettivo (objective) · sk úkol (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · pt incumbência (difficult or tedious undertaking) · egy wp:p-W:t-Z9-A2 (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ko 목적 (objective) · ko 과제 (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ka დავალება (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · es encargo (objective) · es tonga (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · is verkefni (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ar هَدَف (objective) · uz vazifa (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fr tâche (process or execution of a program) · eo tasko (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ko 태스크 (process or execution of a program) · be мэ́та (objective) · hi कार्य (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ar عَمَل (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · lt užduotis (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · es tarea (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · sv uppgift (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · kk тапсырма (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · gd gnìomh (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · el αγγαρεία (difficult or tedious undertaking) · tk wezipe (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ar وَظِيفَة (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ga tasc (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · it incombenza (difficult or tedious undertaking) · ur کام (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · tr vazife (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · pt incumbência (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ko 임무 (difficult or tedious undertaking) · el δουλειά (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ja 目的 (objective) · be зада́ча (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ug تاپشۇرۇق (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · bg ра́бота (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fi homma (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ru зада́ние (objective) · sh зада́так (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · cmn 任務 /任务 (difficult or tedious undertaking) · mi tūmahi (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · sh zadátak (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fi puuha (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · nl opgave (difficult or tedious undertaking) · da tjans (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · lv uzdevums (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · es incumbencia (difficult or tedious undertaking) · ba эш (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fa-ira کار (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · prs کَار (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · nl taak (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ko(piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · th งาน (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ru зада́ние (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · be зада́нне (objective) · da mission (objective) · nah tequiua (objective) · cmn 任務 /任务 (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ru рабо́та (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · pt tarefa (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · cmn 目標 /目标 (objective) · bg зада́ча (process or execution of a program) · vi nhiệm vụ (difficult or tedious undertaking) · be зада́ньне (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · pl zadanie (process or execution of a program) · hu feladat (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ja 任務 (difficult or tedious undertaking) · cmn 目的 (objective) · fr tâche (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · sl naloga (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fi päämäärä (objective) · fi askare (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · he מַטָּלָה (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · hy առաջադրանք (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · uk зада́ча (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fi tehtävä (process or execution of a program) · tg кор (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ru зада́ча (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · pt objetivo (objective) · fi tehtävä (objective) · be зада́нне (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fa-ira وَظیفِه (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · sq detyrë (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fi prosessi (process or execution of a program) · es faena (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · ja 仕事 (piece of work done as part of one’s duties) · fa-ira مَقْصَد (objective)

task en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /task/ (Northern-England, Scotland)
  • täsk (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /tæsk/ (General-American)
  • (US) audio
  • /tɑːsk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • tăsk (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English taske (“task, tax”), from Old Northern French tasque, (compare Old French variant tasche), from Medieval Latin tasca, alteration of taxa, from Latin taxō (“to censure; to charge”). Doublet of tax.

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To assign a task to; to impose a task on.
    • There task thy maids, and exercise the loom. a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “The Last Parting of Hector and Andromache. From the Sixth Book of the Iliad.”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume IV, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, →OCLC:
    • All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come / To answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly, / To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride / On the curl'd clouds, to thy strong bidding task / Ariel and all his quality. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
    • By 1966 the building was considered so unsafe that the Royal Engineers were tasked with demolishing it. 2021 May 19, “Network News: HS2 unearths 900 years of history in Buckinghamshire”, in RAIL, number 931, page 23:
    • On my first day in the office, I was tasked with sorting a pile of invoices.
  2. (transitive) To oppress with severe or excessive burdens; to tax
    • He tasks me; he heaps me; I see in him outrageous strength, with an inscrutable malice sinewing it. 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 36, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
  3. (obsolete, transitive) To oppress with severe or excessive burdens; to tax ▸ To institute a tax on.
  4. (transitive) To charge, as with a fault.
    • Too impudent to task me with those errors. c. 1619–1621, John Fletcher, “The Island Princesse”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act III, scene iii:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
tasks Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
tasking Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
tasked Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
tasked Tense=Past lexicographic

Deriveds

multi-task · multitask

Synonyms

tax · levy

Translations (17)

de beauftragen (assign a task to) · es encargar (assign a task to) · bg давам задача (assign a task to) · nl opdragen (assign a task to) · ru вменя́ть в обя́занность (assign a task to) · ru поруча́ть (assign a task to) · es encomendar (assign a task to) · ru выдава́ть зада́ние (assign a task to) · ru озада́чивать (assign a task to) · es atarear (assign a task to) · nl een taak toekennen (assign a task to) · tr görevlendirmek (assign a task to) · ja 課す (assign a task to) · he הטיל (assign a task to) · pt atarefar (assign a task to) · tr ödevlendirmek (assign a task to) · ru задава́ть (assign a task to)

task en · NOUN · etymology 2

Meanings

  1. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of taisch.
    alt of taisch