operateadj.
/ˈɒpəreɪt/, U.S. /ˈɑpəˌreɪt/ Causing or enabling something to operate, or denoting a period during which a thing is operative.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > [adjective] > operating
operate1954
1954 Brit. Jrnl. Psychol. 45 219 For cycling, the operate key is set in the upward position.
1969 Rev. Electr. Communication Lab. (Tokyo) 17 809/2 The operate time is defined as the value from the time the voltage is applied to the relay to the time the armature reaches x = x0.
1971 Gloss. Electrotechnical, Power Terms (B.S.I.) i. iii. 15 Operate current, minimum current which, when applied in the same direction and immediately following removal of saturation current, will cause the relay to operate.
1985–6 Hasler Rev. Winter 18 89/1 The Hasler electronic time measuring unit ELZE..is specially designed for the measurement and adjustment of relay operate times and release times.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
operatev.
/ˈɒpəreɪt/, U.S. /ˈɑpəˌreɪt/ 1.
a. intransitive. To exercise force or influence, produce an effect; to act, work.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > operate [verb (intransitive)]
operate1603
act1651
play1677
tick1931
1603 J. Davies Microcosmos 52 The brest..is the shoppe of al the instruments wherewith the vitall vertue operates.
1609 W. Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida v. iii. 112 Th'effect doth operate another way. View more context for this quotation
1671 J. Blagrave Astrol. Pract. Physick 21 The..influence of the moon unto any planet doth begin to opperate when she is within ten degrees aspecting any planet.
1786 J. Pinkerton Anc. Sc. Poems I. Introd. p. lxxii If Mr. Tyrwhitt will point out one imitation of the slightest passage of Chaucer in any Scottish poet whatever, it will operate to his purpose; but I know from certain knowledge that he cannot.
1795 W. Paley View Evidences Christianity (ed. 3) II. iii. vii. 377 Religion operates most upon those of whom history knows the least.
1817 J. Mill Hist. Brit. India II. v. ix. 713 The whole force of the motives,..which operate to their appointment, must operate likewise to connivance at their faults.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. iii. 407 The revolutionary spirit, ceasing to operate in politics.
1874 J. Morley On Compromise 93 Though themselves invisible to the outer world, they [sc. convictions] may yet operate with magnetic force..upon other parts of our belief.
1933 V. Brittain Test. of Youth vii. 358 Our minds were still too numbed to operate in any but the conventional grooves.
1986 D. Madden Hidden Symptoms (1988) 40 Robert's memory operated in a cruel and unfortunate manner.
b. intransitive. Esp. of a drug, medicine, etc. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > of medicine: act [verb (intransitive)] > produce intended effect
operate1621
1621 J. Reynolds Triumphs Gods Revenge: 1st Bk. v. 159 He..returnes to Brescia, still hoping that the poyson might yet operate.
1675 E. M. (title) The universal scorbutick pills, and radical purifier of nature. Operating by purgation and urine, with the greatest ease and success in various diseases and infirmities.
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) To operate, to work or stir the humours of the body, as physick does.
1783 Med. Communications 1 142 The bolus has operated four or five times.
1804 J. Abernethy Surg. Observ. 186 He had taken purging medicine..which had operated.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. v. 582 The Act of Attainder was a remedy which could not operate till all danger was over.
1999 C. Dolan Ascension Day (2000) vi. 122 They weren't interested in discovering that cytotoxic drugs operate by destroying the entire cell. Particularly fast-dividing cells.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > carrying out > execute, perform, or carry out [verb (transitive)] > achieve or effect
helpc1410
obtain?a1425
procurec1425
practise?a1439
upholdc1450
furnish1477
to bring about1480
to bring to passc1513
conduce1518
contrive1530
to make good1535
moyen1560
effect1581
effectuatea1586
to level out1606
operate1637
to carry offa1640
efficiate1639
work1761
engineer1831
1637 W. Saltonstall tr. Eusebius Life Constantine 160 Tis an generall position that that which..hath no being cannot operate, or effect any thing.
1642 J. March Argument Militia 12 Now plotting..to operate the ruine of the Protestant religion.
1759 A. Smith Theory Moral Sentiments iii The vice and folly must be very great, before they can operate this complete degradation.
1799 N. Drake in T. Beddoes Contrib. Physical & Med. Knowl. 478 The digitalis was supposed to have operated a cure.
1889 Nature 19 Sept. 510/2 Energy in the form of light operates changes in the surface of bodies.
3. intransitive. Of persons, or personified attributes: to bring force or influence to bear on or upon. In early use also: †to exert oneself to do something (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > effort or exertion > exert oneself or make an effort [verb (intransitive)]
tillc897
stightlea1375
stretcha1375
wrestlea1382
to put it forthc1390
to put one's hand(s) to (also unto)a1398
paina1400
takea1400
to do one's busy pain (also care, cure, diligence)?a1430
to make great force?c1450
makec1485
to stir one's stumpsa1500
to bestir one's stumps1549
to make work1574
put1596
bestira1616
operate1650
to lay out1659
to be at pains1709
exerta1749
tew1787
maul1821
to take (the) trouble1830
to pull outc1835
bother1840
trouble1880
to buck up1890
hump1897
to go somea1911
1650 J. Howell tr. A. Giraffi Exact Hist. Late Revol. Naples i. 82 The Archbishop..did desire His Excellence wold operate [It. operare] to bring to a period that solemn ceremony.
1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding ii. xxiii. 142 Every one finds in himself, that his Soul can think, will, and operate on his Body.
1783 W. Thomson in R. Watson & W. Thomson Hist. Reign Philip III v. 373 They endeavoured to counteract its effects by operating upon his natural ambition.
1790 R. Beatson Naval & Mil. Mem. I. 246 He knew the Highland chieftans well, and how to operate on them.
1833 Act 3 & 4 William IV c. 46 §61 An account to be opened in the name of the commissioners, and to be operated upon by the treasurer for the time.
1846 R. Browning Soul's Trag. in Bells & Pomegranates No. VIII ii I had despaired of..ever being able to rightly operate on mankind through such a deranged machinery as the existing modes of government.
a1944 W. C. Williams Coll. Poems (1986) II. 5 How can a nuance Operate on anything?
a1963 T. Roethke Coll. Poems (1975) 249 Dissection is a virtue when It operates on other men.
1994 Atlanta Jrnl. & Constit. (Nexis) 31 Dec. d1 Mark is really something. He really operated on us out there tonight.
4. Surgery.
a. intransitive. To perform an operation. Also with on, upon.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > power > influence > have influence with [verb (transitive)] > exert influence upon
weighc1571
sway1593
subject1605
to have its end(s) upon1638
influence1658
ponderate1670
operate1674
to touch up1791
protocol1832
rig1908
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > surgery > undergo surgical treatment [verb (intransitive)] > perform surgical operation
operate1674
1674 R. Godfrey Var. Injuries in Physick Pref. I by diligent observance, by Operating,..having gain'd the knowledg of some Injuries in Physick.
1784 H. Fearon (title) A treatise on cancers, with a new and successful method of operating, particularly in cancers of the breast and testis.
1826 A. C. Hutchison Pract. Observ. Surg. (ed. 2) 314 (note) A boy was operated upon in Haslar hospital, and recovered.
1894 Westm. Gaz. 4 July 2/3 The phrase ‘When in doubt, operate’, was, I believe, first made use of by Sir William Lawrence with regard to the methods to be adopted in treating cases of strangulated hernia.
1913 W. Cather O Pioneers! iv. v. 246 Emil had been there when they carried him out of the field, and had stayed with him until the doctors operated for appendicitis.
1988 S. Rosenberg Soviet Odyssey vi. 92 He was wounded in his bad leg, brought to the Bodkin Hospital, and operated on.
b. transitive. To perform an operation on (a patient or condition). Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > surgery > cure as by surgery [verb (transitive)] > operate on
operate1908
1908 Practitioner Sept. 423 I know of two cases of pyelitis which were operated in mistake for appendicitis.
1915 W. Owen Let. 1 Mar. (1967) 324 Dr Denucé (who operated Sarah Bernhardt—and Charlie).
1925 G. H. Simmons & M. Fishbein Art & Pract. Med. Writing v. 43 The surgeon who would hesitate to say ‘I worked this patient’ says, without a blush, ‘I operated this patient.’
1930 Amer. Speech 5 289 Of those questioned 261/ 2 per cent used ‘operated him’, 40 per cent used ‘operated on’, and 331/ 2 per cent used ‘operated upon him’.
5. intransitive. Military. To conduct a military or naval action. Cf. operation n. 10.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > war > wage war [verb (intransitive)]
warc1230
to make warc1275
warraya1300
battle1330
hostey?a1400
to make (a) fighta1400
to have, keep, make, smite, strike, battle1542
warfare1565
operate1781
1781 Pennsylvania Gaz. 13 June 3/2 The detachments below, operating under General Marian, and Lieutenant Colonel Lee..cut off their supplies, particularly the article of salt, of which the garrison were entirely destitute.
1788 A. Hamilton et al. Fed. Papers iv Would those three governments..be able..to operate against the enemy so effectually as the single government of Great Britain would?
1863 P. Barry Dockyard Econ. 137 Against no Power whatever could we operate successfully on the coast with our Minotaurs, our Valiants, or our Warriors.
1885 Manch. Examiner 22 June 5/4 A Russian army operating against India..could be assailed on the flank.
1910 Encycl. Brit. I. 823/2 Subsidiary forces were to operate on the sea-board.
1975 T. Allbeury Special Coll. xi. 73 I set up a network for him dealing with industrial espionage. It operated into West Germany.
1983 J. M. Coetzee Life & Times Michael K ii. 177 He was picked up..in the Karoo running a staging post for guerrillas operating out of the mountains.
2002 Jerusalem Post (Nexis) 24 July 2 Soldiers from the Nahal Haredi Brigade operating in Ein Zidan east of Nablus arrested a terrorist planning to carry out a suicide bomb attack inside Israel.
6. intransitive. To perform an operation or series of operations. With (up)on. Also figurative. Cf. operation n. 6a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > doing > act or do [verb (intransitive)] > perform practical operations
operate1832
1832 G. R. Porter Treat. Manuf. Porcelain & Glass ix. 239 It is necessary to operate upon both sides of the plate.
1870 W. S. Jevons Elem. Lessons Logic ii. 9 Instruments with which we must operate in reasoning.
1882 Rep. Precious Metals (U.S. Bureau of Mint) 271 An arrastra is now being built to operate upon the ores of the Wayup.
1964 M. McLuhan Understanding Media (1967) i. vii. 75 In operating on society with a new technology.
1990 Micro Decision Feb. 86/3 Many dedicated word processors only operate on one page of a document at a time.
7. transitive. Originally U.S. To cause or direct the functioning of; to control the working of (a machine, boat, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > cause to operate [verb (transitive)]
work1591
act1597
to put onc1842
operate1847
trip1897
1847 Sci. Amer. 25 Sept. 36/4 The combination of Rocking chair and fan, in such a manner that the movement of the chair upon its rockers will operate the fan.
1872 Omaha Bee in Times 28 Nov. 7/3 The monster [steam snow plough]..will be operated by three of the heaviest engines on the road.
1886 Troy (U.S.) Daily Times 24 Dec. 3 Estimates of the cost of operating the cars..by the motor will be furnished.
1903 W. E. Curtis True Abraham Lincoln 24 When he was 16, he operated a ferry-boat.
1913 C. Roberts & R. M. Smith Locomotive Operating 243 It seems fitting..to say something about the men that operate locomotives.
1951 G. Greene End of Affair i. iii. 27 Hatred seems to operate the same glands as love: it even produces the same actions.
1988 K. Amis Difficulties with Girls i. 5 He operated the till without looking at where his fingers were going, like a concert pianist.
8. transitive. Originally U.S. To manage, to direct the operation of (a business, enterprise, etc.); to carry out or through, apply (a principle, a tradition, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > control > [verb (transitive)] > manage or administer
steerc888
leadc1175
guyc1330
guidec1374
governa1382
ministera1382
treat1387
administer1395
dispose1398
skift?a1400
warda1400
solicit1429
to deal with1469
handlea1470
execute1483
convoy?a1513
conveyc1515
mayne1520
to bear (a person or thing) in (also an, a, on) handa1522
keepa1535
administrate1538
solicitate1547
to dispose of1573
manure1583
carry1600
manage1609
negotiate1619
conduct1632
to carry on1638
mesnage1654
nurse1745
work1841
operate1850
run1857
stage-manage1906
ramrod1920
1850 Debow's Rev. Oct. 454 The Southern Rail-Road,..owned by the state, but operated by the Vicksburg company.
1880 Travellers' Official Guide U.S. & Canada July 91 The Roads owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad.
1887 Literary World (Boston) 6 Aug. 248/1 How long is it to be before the government of the United States will operate the telegraph system of the country as it operates the mails?
1891 Leeds Mercury 19 Sept. 11 The..Company operate a large foundry.
1948 ‘N. Shute’ No Highway i. 19 C.A.T.O. are operating five or six of them [sc. aircraft] on the Atlantic route.
1971 D. Potter Brit. Elizabethan Stamps xii. 130 Cambrian Airways..took over the operation of some internal routes previously operated only by bea.
1974 Anderson (S. Carolina) Independent 20 Apr. 2A/1 Joe King, who operates a hardware store 13 miles south of Greenville on S.C. 25, fired four bullets into their car as they fled.
1989 Eng. Today July 58/3 Instead of being in their offices doctors work out of their offices and another chap operates his business out of his address.
9. intransitive. To deal or speculate in stocks or shares; to buy and sell commodities as a broker. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > brokerage > act as broker [verb (intransitive)]
brokea1652
operate1859
society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > deal in stocks and shares [verb (intransitive)]
job1721
stock-job1721
operate1859
1859 Athenæum 23 July 113 A bull in the same jargon, is one who operates for a rise.
1868 E. Seyd Bullion 480 If between these he sees profits he operates.
1889 Harper's Mag. Aug. 448/1 Do you think all men who are what you call operating around are like that?
1961 Webster's 3rd New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. (at cited word) To trade or speculate in securities and commodities..[a person] operated largely in cotton futures.
10. intransitive. To carry on criminal activities. Cf. operator n. 2c.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > rule of law > lawlessness > break the law [verb (intransitive)] > carry out criminal activities
operate1869
1869 Galaxy Sept. 347 Hundreds of business men in New York can tell from costly experience how damper-sneaks operate.
1883 A. E. Sweet & J. A. Knox On Mexican Mustang (1884) i. 16 This high-toned and honorable desperado ‘operated’ in one of the inland cities of Texas two years ago.
1901 ‘J. Flynt’ World of Graft 19 The West Side grafters..who have ‘operated’ in Chicago.
1955 Publ. Amer. Dial. Soc. No. 24. 30 There are the lone wolves, who are professionals, but who operate predominantly alone, without the support of a mob,..for example, jewel thieves of some types, swindlers, expert forgers.
2002 Belfast Tel. (Nexis) 11 Oct. Top of the range cars are being targeted by a team of thieves operating all over Northern Ireland, it has been alleged in court.
11. intransitive. To be in action, to be functioning. Cf. sense 6.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > operate [verb (intransitive)] > function
functionate1843
function1844
fire1873
operatea1918
a1918 J. T. B. McCudden Five Years in R.F.C. (1919) 198 It was at that time [sc. Feb. & Mar. 1917] that the ‘Derby’ scheme was operating.
1932 N. M. Butler Looking Forward xi. 117 Government officials operating in all parts of the country.
1972 Daily Tel. 16 Nov. 7/1 Extra buses and Underground trains will operate on most routes.
1992 N.Y. Times 24 May ii. 22/4 I came to a company that had great potential but was not operating on all cylinders... I've been able to re-energize the place.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1954
v.1603