go/set to work

go to work

1. To go to one's place of employment for a day or shift of work. I'm afraid Sally's already gone to work—can I take a message? My husband is off for the holiday, but I have to go to work.

2. To begin to do something to someone or something. I watched as the seamstress went to work hemming my dress. Mom went to work cleaning and bandaging my scraped knee.

See also: work

set to work (doing something)

To begin to do something with a specific intention in mind. We set to work creating the most elegant and user-friendly smartphone ever made. He found a mop and set to work cleaning the floors in every room of the house.

See also: set, work

set to work on (someone)

To begin doing something to someone. Mom set to work on me and bandaged my scraped knee.

See also: on, set, 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!

See also: 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.

See also: set, work

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.

See also: set, work

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.

See also: set, work