different between working vs spellwork

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?w??k??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?w?k??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)k??
• Hyphenation: work?ing

Etymology 1

From Middle English werking, werkynge, warkynge, worchinge, from Old English wyr?ung (“working, work”), verbal noun of wyr?an (“to work”), equivalent to work +? -ing. Cognate with Scots wirking, warking, Dutch werking, German Wirkung.

Noun

working (countable and uncountable, plural workings)

1. (usually in the plural) Operation; action.
2. Method of operation.
3. (arithmetic) The incidental or subsidiary calculations performed in solving an overall problem.

4. Fermentation.
5. (of bodies of water) Becoming full of a vegetable substance.
6. A place where work is carried on.

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English workyng, wirkynge, worchinge, werchinge, workinde, wirkand, worchende, wurchende, from Old English wyr?ende, from Proto-Germanic *wurkijandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *wurkijan? (“to work”), equivalent to work +? -ing. Compare Scots wirkand, werkand, warkand (“working”), Dutch werkend (“working, acting”), German wirkend (“acting, working”).

Verb

working

1. present participle of work

Adjective

working (not comparable)

1. That is or are functioning.

2. That suffices but requires additional work.

3. In paid employment.

4. Of or relating to employment.

5. Enough to allow one to use something.

   a working knowledge of computers

6. Used in real life; practical.

Synonyms

• (functioning):: functioning; up (mainly used of computers):
• (that suffices but requires further work):: draft, provisional, temporary
• (in paid employment):: employed, in employment
• (of or relating to employment):: work
• (enough to allow one to use something):: basic

Antonyms

• (functioning):: broken, broken-down, down (mainly used of computers):

Derived terms

Hyponyms

• known-working

Translations

Related terms

• work

References

• working in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Alternative forms

• spell work, spell-work

Etymology

spell +? work

Noun

spellwork (uncountable)

1. Any magical practice involving creating or casting spells, especially new enchantments or spells which are intricate or complex.
   • 1994, Edain McCoy, A Witch's Guide to Faery Folk, ?ISBN, p. 116:

     All spellwork with faeries should be done within the safe confines of your circle, with the faeries just outside its perimeter.

   • 2009, Louie Jerome, Peter and the Black Dog, ?ISBN, p. 46:

     I did have a passing interest in Wicca, but once I realized that spell work was involved, I stopped.

2. The formula or formulation of one or more spells or enchantments; the individual parts constituting such a formulation; the inner workings or structure of a spell.
   • 1993, "Celtic Magic by D. J. Conway" (advertisement) in Ted Andrews, Enchantment of the Faerie Realm, ?ISBN, p. 224:

     There is also an in-depth discussion of Celtic deities and the Celtic way of life and worship, so that an intermediate practitioner can expand upon the spellwork to build a series of magical rituals.

   • 2001, Richard A. Knaak, Legacy of Blood, ?ISBN, p. 82:

     The spellwork she had utilized to quicker get her to her destination had taken too much from the dark mage.

Hyponyms

• (magical practice): charmwork, wandwork

Related terms

• spellbook
• spellcraft
• spellfire
• spellcaster
• spellcasting