operate
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++op·e·rate /ˈɒpəreɪt $ ˈɑːp-/ ●●● S3 W2 verb 1 machine 机器 a) [transitive]TCONTROL to use and control a machine or equipment 使用，操作，操纵〔机器或设备〕 The Lewis family operated a number of boats on the canal. 刘易斯一家在运河上经营着几艘船。 Clive was experienced in operating the computers. 克莱夫对操作电脑很有经验。 b) [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] if a machine operates in a particular way, it works in that way 〔机器〕运转，运作operate in/at Check that the equipment is operating in a safe manner. 检查一下设备是否安全运转。 The bus is designed to operate in all weather conditions. 这种公共汽车的设计使它能够在各种天气条件下行驶。 Most freezers operate at below –18°C. 大多数冰柜制冷可达零下18摄氏度以下。2 business/organization 企业/机构 a) BUSINESS[intransitive] if a business or organization operates in a particular place or way, it works in that place or way 〔企业或机构在某处或以某种方式〕经营，营业，活动operate in/within/from a design company operating from offices in Seattle 在西雅图办公楼里运营的一家设计公司 A playgroup operates on the campus. 校园里开办了一个幼儿游戏班。 They were trying to reduce operating costs. 他们在设法降低经营成本。 b) [transitive] to control a business or organization 经营，管理〔企业或机构〕 Nuns are operating an emergency hospital. 修女们在经营一家急救医院。3 system/process/service 系统/过程/服务 [intransitive, transitive]WAY/METHOD if a system, process, or service operates, or if you operate it, it works (使)运作，(使)运行，(使)工作 The whole tax system is now operating more efficiently. 现在整个税收制度运作效率更高了。 The new law doesn’t operate in our favour. 这项新法规对我们不利。 The car parks operate a pay-as-you-leave system. 这些停车场按“离开时付费”的模式运作。 The bus company operates a Monday to Saturday service. 这家公共汽车公司周一至周六运营。4 medical 医疗的 [intransitive]MH to cut into someone’s body in order to repair or remove a part that is damaged 开刀，动手术 Doctors had to operate to remove the bullet. 医生不得不开刀取出子弹。operate on the surgeon who operated on Taylor’s knee 给泰勒的膝部动手术的外科医生 ► A doctor does not ‘operate’ a part of a person’s body. He or she operates on it: They need to operate on her stomach (NOT operate her stomach).说医生给病人身体的某部位动手术时，不要用 operate，而要用 operates on:They need to operate on her stomach (不说 operate her stomach). 他们要给她的胃部动手术。5 work 做，干 [intransitive]WORK/DO WORK to do your job or try to achieve things in a particular way 做，干，行事 Most people just can’t operate in noisy crowded conditions. 大多数人都无法在嘈杂拥挤的环境里工作。 Older children often like to operate independently. 大一些的孩子通常都喜欢独立行事。6 soldiers/police 士兵/警察 [intransitive]WORK/DO WORK if soldiers or police officers are operating in an area, they are working in that area 〔士兵或警察在某地区〕行动，执行公务operate in Security patrols now operate in some of the most dangerous parts of the city. 目前，治安巡逻队正在该城市最危险的一些地区执行任务。 enemy submarines operating in the Mediterranean 在地中海行动的敌军潜水艇7 operate as something PURPOSEto have a particular purpose 起…作用，作…用8 laws/principles 法则/原理 [intransitive]EFFECT/INFLUENCE to have an effect on something 起作用，产生影响→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
operate• Courtaulds has operated a representative office in Jakarta since early 1991.• Kaohsiung operates a system whereby employees can offer operational advice regarding improvements to production methods.• A hand-held remote control makes the device easy to operate as well.• As the name implies, the sole proprietorship is owned and operated by a single individual.• They passed a cement mixer that was being operated by two men in dusty overalls.• If the unit fails to operate, check your construction.• The company operates fast-food restaurants in over 60 countries.• Screenview are a small company operating from a converted barn in a village near Norwich.• In London, Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester, the trade operates in a similar way.• Olivetti operates in all the major computer markets in the world.• The legislative system operates independently of the President.• We excluded from our review networks that were operated on a private, for-profit basis.• Alice operates on her own time schedule.• They had operated on him six times before he was a year old.• They had to operate on my arm because it was broken in two places.• It is also possible that the semantic and phonetic clues are in fact operated on not sequentially but simultaneously.• It can be risky to operate on very old people.• The doctor says they'll have to operate straightaway, before the cancer spreads.• Do you know how to operate the air conditioning?• A team of three men operate the dam.• Don't worry - everyone will be shown how to operate the new machines.• It took me weeks to learn to operate the VCR.• Our generator doesn't operate well in cold weather.• Smith was accused of operating without the knowledge of his commanding officer.operate in/at• Darden executives also know they are operating in a tougher environment than when they introduced Olive Garden.• They operate in a way which runs counter to the original purpose of creation.• Secondly, control through the imposition of this fiduciary duty operates in an asymmetrical fashion.• Such systems could operate at lower cost than current methods and may soon become commercialized.• They operated in rugged enemy-fortified zones and in heavily populated rural areas.• Agribusiness that operates in sectors marked by seasonal fluctuations has been prone to this sort of employment.• In one significant sense, however, Mrs Thatcher has operated in the tradition of Conservative statesmanship.• Finally, we can look a little more closely at the main hotel groups operating in the United Kingdom.operating costs• Delta benefits from a modern fleet of aircraft with low operating costs.• Denver International must take in at least $ 304 million in revenues next year to cover annual debt service and operating costs.• Its aim was to cut operating costs.• The regulation worked out so that the company provided local service at prices that failed to cover more than direct operating costs.• They provide food products at lower cost than conventional supermarkets; they minimize operating costs and customer services.• After the deduction of operating costs and payments to shareholders, this is put to reserve.• This means that operating costs are a fraction of those at a typical full-price supermarket.• By the start of the 1980s, however, the company had cut its operating costs pretty much to the bone.operate on• Doctors had to operate on his spine.From Longman Business Dictionaryoperateop‧e‧rate /ˈɒpəreɪtˈɑː-/ verb1[transitive] to use and control a machine or equipmentthe software necessary to operate the machine2[intransitive]MANUFACTURING if a machine, factory etc operates in a particular way, it works in that wayoperate in/atThe factory will operate at half capacity for about two months.3[intransitive] if a business, system etc operates in a particular way, it works in that waydifferences between the way the two countries’ economies operateoperate asThe company will continue to operate as an independent subsidiary.4[intransitive] if a business, system etc operates in or from a particular place, it is based there or offers goods or services from thereoperate in/from/out ofa discount chain operating in the Mid-Atlantic regiona new airline operating out of St Petersburg5[transitive]COMMERCE if a person or organization operates a business, system etc, they manage it and make it workHe operates a trucking business in Norway.the costs of operating the plant→ See Verb tableOrigin operate (1600-1700) Latin past participle of operari “to work”, from opus; → OPUSop·e·rate verbChineseSyllable
Business and Corpus machine a to use control
operate
op‧e‧rate S3 W2 /ˈɒpəreɪt $ ˈɑːp-/
verb
a. [transitive] to use and control a machine or equipment:
The Lewis family operated a number of boats on the canal.
Clive was experienced in operating the computers.
b. [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] if a machine operates in a particular way, it works in that way
operate in/at
Check that the equipment is operating in a safe manner.
The bus is designed to operate in all weather conditions.
Most freezers operate at below –18°C.
2. BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION
a. [intransitive] if a business or organization operates in a particular place or way, it works in that place or way
operate in/within/from
a design company operating from offices in Seattle
A playgroup operates on the campus.
They were trying to reduce operating costs.
b. [transitive] to control a business or organization:
Nuns are operating an emergency hospital.
3. SYSTEM/PROCESS/SERVICE [intransitive and transitive] if a system, process, or service operates, or if you operate it, it works:
The whole tax system is now operating more efficiently.
The new law doesn’t operate in our favour.
The car parks operate a pay-as-you-leave system.
The bus company operates a Monday to Saturday service.
4. MEDICAL [intransitive] to cut into someone’s body in order to repair or remove a part that is damaged:
Doctors had to operate to remove the bullet.
operate on
the surgeon who operated on Taylor’s knee
► A doctor does not ‘operate’ a part of a person’s body. He or she operates on it: They need to operate on her stomach (NOT operate her stomach).
5. WORK [intransitive] to do your job or try to achieve things in a particular way:
Most people just can’t operate in noisy crowded conditions.
Older children often like to operate independently.
6. SOLDIERS/POLICE [intransitive] if soldiers or police officers are operating in an area, they are working in that area
operate in
Security patrols now operate in some of the most dangerous parts of the city.
enemy submarines operating in the Mediterranean
7. operate as something to have a particular purpose:
The foam operates as a very effective filter.
The car’s service manual is designed to operate as a guide for owners.
8. LAWS/PRINCIPLES [intransitive] to have an effect on something:
the laws of evolution operating on each species
op‧e‧rate S3 W2 /ˈɒpəreɪt $ ˈɑːp-/
verb Word Family: noun: operation, cooperation, operative, cooperative, operator; adjective: operational, operative, cooperative ≠ uncooperative; verb: operate, cooperate; adverb: operationally, cooperatively
1. MACHINE a. [transitive] to use and control a machine or equipment:
b. [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] if a machine operates in a particular way, it works in that way
operate in/at
2. BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION
a. [intransitive] if a business or organization operates in a particular place or way, it works in that place or way
operate in/within/from
b. [transitive] to control a business or organization:
3. SYSTEM/PROCESS/SERVICE [intransitive and transitive] if a system, process, or service operates, or if you operate it, it works:
4. MEDICAL [intransitive] to cut into someone’s body in order to repair or remove a part that is damaged:
operate on
► A doctor does not ‘operate’ a part of a person’s body. He or she operates on it: They need to operate on her stomach (NOT operate her stomach).
5. WORK [intransitive] to do your job or try to achieve things in a particular way:
6. SOLDIERS/POLICE [intransitive] if soldiers or police officers are operating in an area, they are working in that area
operate in
7. operate as something to have a particular purpose:
8. LAWS/PRINCIPLES [intransitive] to have an effect on something: