task

task
I. noun Etymology: Middle English taske, from Middle French dialect (Picardy, Flanders) tasque, from Medieval Latin tasca tax or service imposed by a feudal superior, alteration of *taxa, from taxare to tax Date: 14th century 1. a. a usually assigned piece of work often to be finished within a certain time b. something hard or unpleasant that has to be done c. duty, function 2. subjection to adverse criticism ; reprimand — used in the expressions to take, call, or bring to task Synonyms: task, duty, job, chore, stint, assignment mean a piece of work to be done. task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance <
charged with a variety of tasks
>
. duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance <
the duties of a lifeguard
>
. job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance <
the job of turning the company around
>
. chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm <
every child was assigned chores
>
. stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service <
a 2-month stint as a reporter
>
. assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority <
a reporter's assignment
>
. II. transitive verb Date: 14th century 1. to assign a task to <
employees tasked with updating the files
>
2. obsolete to impose a tax on 3. to oppress with great labor <
tasks his mind with petty details
>

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • task — [tɑːsk ǁ tæsk] noun [countable] 1. a piece of work that must be done, especially one that must be done regularly: • Scheduling is a key task for most managers. • day to day management tasks • computers that can do dozens of tasks at the same time …   Financial and business terms

  • Task — may refer to: Task analysis Task (project management) Task (computing), in computing, a program execution context TASK party, a series of improvisational participatory art related events organized by artist Oliver Herring Task (language… …   Wikipedia

  • task — [task, täsk] n. [ME taske < NormFr tasque (OFr tasche) < ML tasca, for taxa, a tax < L taxare, to rate, value, TAX] 1. a piece of work assigned to or demanded of a person 2. any piece of work 3. an undertaking involving labor or… …   English World dictionary

  • Task — Task, der; [e]s, s [engl. task = Aufgabe < mengl. taske < afrz. tasche, über das Vlat. < mlat. taxa, ↑ Taxe] (EDV): in sich geschlossene Aufgabe, dargestellt durch einen Teil eines Programms od. ein ganzes Programm. * * * Task   [dt.… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Task — Task, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Tasked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Tasking}.] 1. To impose a task upon; to assign a definite amount of business, labor, or duty to. [1913 Webster] There task thy maids, and exercise the loom. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. To oppress …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Task — (t[.a]sk), n. [OE. taske, OF. tasque, F. t[^a]che, for tasche, LL. tasca, taxa, fr. L. taxare to rate, appraise, estimate. See {Tax}, n. & v.] 1. Labor or study imposed by another, often in a definite quantity or amount. [1913 Webster] Ma task of …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • task — ► NOUN ▪ a piece of work to be done. ► VERB 1) (task with) assign (a task) to. 2) make great demands on. ● take to task Cf. ↑take to task …   English terms dictionary

  • task — task, duty, assignment, job, stint, chore are comparable when they mean a piece of work which one is asked to do and is expected to accomplish. Task refers to a specific piece of work or service usually imposed by authority or circumstance but… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • task — task·er; task; task·mas·ter·ship; mul·ti·task; …   English syllables

  • task — /task / (say tahsk) noun 1. a definite piece of work assigned or falling to a person; a duty. 2. any piece of work. 3. a matter of considerable labour or difficulty. 4. Obsolete a tax or impost. –verb (t) 5. to subject to severe or excessive… …  

  • task — n the performance that is required of the subject in a psychological experiment or test and that is usu. communicated to a human subject by verbal instructions …   Medical dictionary

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