operate
Pronunciation change
Verb change
|
Plain form |
Third-person singular |
Past tense |
Past participle |
Present participle |
- (transitive) If you operate a machine, you control it.
- Everyone on board is able to operate the ship.
- (intransitive) If a machine operates, it works.
- Does the device operate independently or does it need to connect to other devices?
- (transitive & intransitive) If organizations or people operate, they work or do business.
- The business will continue to operate under the same name.
- The school operates a system for selling used textbooks.
- It's really hard to operate with the kids running around.
- (intransitive) If a doctor operates, he cuts into a client's body to fix it.