go/set to work

go to work (on someone or something)

to begin working on someone or something. The masons went to work on repairing the wall. The surgeons went to work on the patient. Come on! Let's go to work!

set someone or something to work

to start someone or something working; to cause someone or something to begin functioning. The captain set everyone to work repairing the tears in the fabric of the sails. We will set the machines to work at the regular time.

set to work (on someone or something)

to begin working on someone or something. We have finished questioning Tom, so we will set to work on Fred. We set to work on dinner at noon.

go/set to ˈwork (on something)

(also get (down) to ˈwork (on something)) start working on a particular task: I set to work on the car, giving it a good clean. ♢ I ought to get to work on that report.