From the phrase jobbe of work(“piece of work”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from a variant of Middle Englishgobbe(“mass, lump”); or perhaps related to Middle Englishjobben(“to jab, thrust, peck”), or Middle Englishchoppe(“piece, bargain”). More at gob, jab, chop.
Noun
job (pluraljobs)
A task.
An economic role for which a person is paid.
2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
Here I am at my new job!
(in noun compounds) Plastic surgery.
(in noun compounds) A sex act.
(computing) A task, or series of tasks, carried out in batch mode (especially on a mainframe computer).
A public transaction done for private profit; something performed ostensibly as a part of official duty, but really for private gain; a corrupt official business.
(informal) A robbery or heist.
Any affair or event which affects one, whether fortunately or unfortunately.
(colloquial) A thing or whatsit (often used in a vague way to refer to something whose name one cannot recall).
(UK, slang, law enforcement) The police as a profession, act of policing, or an individual police officer.
Usage notes
Descendants
→ Antillean Creole: djòb
→ French: job
→ Louisiana Creole: djòb
Translations
Verb
job (third-person singular simple presentjobs, present participlejobbing, simple past and past participlejobbed)
(intransitive) To do odd jobs or occasional work for hire.
(intransitive) To work as a jobber.
(intransitive, professional wrestling slang) To take the loss, usually in a demeaning or submissive manner.
(transitive, trading) To buy and sell for profit, as securities; to speculate in.
(transitive, often with out) To subcontract a project or delivery in small portions to a number of contractors.
We wanted to sell a turnkey plant, but they jobbed out the contract to small firms.
(intransitive) To seek private gain under pretence of public service; to turn public matters to private advantage.
To hire or let in periods of service.
Translations
Derived terms
See also
Etymology 2
Imitative.
Verb
job (third-person singular simple presentjobs, present participlejobbing, simple past and past participlejobbed)
(intransitive, now rare, regional) To peck (of a bird); (more generally) to poke or prod (at, into). [from 15th c.]
(transitive) To pierce or poke (someone or something), typically with a sharp or pointed object; to stab. [from 16th c.]
(transitive, now Australia) To hit (someone) with a quick, sharp punch; to jab. [from 19th c.]
Noun
job (pluraljobs)
(obsolete) A sudden thrust or stab; a jab or punch. [16th–20th c.]
References
Anagrams
obj
Chinese
Etymology
From Englishjob.
Pronunciation
Noun
job
(Hong Kong Cantonese)job(a non-permanent job, from which one is paid); tasks in one's work (Classifier: 單/单c;個/个c)
接job[Cantonese] ― zip3zop1[Jyutping] ― to take a job
References
English Loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese
Danish
Etymology
From Englishjob.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): [ˈd̥jʌb̥]
Noun
jobn
job
Declension
Dutch
Etymology
Borrowed from Englishjob.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /dʒɔp/
Hyphenation: job
Rhymes: -ɔp
Noun
jobf (pluraljobs)
(chiefly Belgium)job
Synonym:baan
Usage notes
Job is the default word for a job in Belgium. In the Netherlands baan is the default; however, job is sometimes used informally or in certain sectors (e.g. marketing), but it may also be considered pretentious due to an association with yuppies.
French
Etymology
Borrowed from Englishjob.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /dʒɔb/
Noun
jobm or f (pluraljobs)
(informal)job (employment role)
(Quebec, Missouri, New England, Louisiana, informal) work
Usage notes
This term is feminine in Quebec and some parts of Louisiana, and masculine elsewhere.
Synonyms
(informal)boulot
Further reading
“job”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé[Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Italian
Etymology
Borrowed from Englishjob.
Noun
jobm (invariable)
job (employment role, computing task)
Portuguese
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Englishjob.
Pronunciation
(Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈdʒɔbi/, /ˈdʒɔb/
Noun
jobm (pluraljobs)
(Brazil, computing)job(task carried out in batch mode)
Synonym:tarefa
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from Englishjob.
Noun
jobn (pluraljoburi)
job
Declension
Zaghawa
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ɟɔp/
Noun
job
pocket
Further reading
Beria-English English-Beria Dictionary [provisional] ADESK, Iriba, Kobe Department, Chad