work over

phrasal-verb
UK: /wɜːk ˈəʊvər/
US: /wɜːrk ˈoʊvər/

  1. To physically attack someone.

    1. The gang tried to work over him after the game.
    2. The thugs threatened to work him over if he didn't pay up soon.

  2. To examine, revise, or rework something carefully.

    1. I need to work over my essay before submitting it.
    2. The editor will work over the manuscript to improve its clarity and flow.

  3. To persuade someone, often aggressively or deceptively.

    1. He tried to work her over to get her vote.
    2. The salesperson attempted to work the customer over to buy the extended warranty.

Synonyms

revise thrash convince persuade edit attack rework
work over noun

  1. An instance of physically attacking someone.

    1. He gave his enemy a work over.
    2. The victim received a thorough work over, leaving him badly bruised.

  2. A thorough examination or revision.

    1. The plan needs a work over before we present it.
    2. The engine received a complete work over by the mechanic.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "work over" in English means: To physically attack someone., To examine, revise, or rework something carefully., To persuade someone, often aggressively or deceptively..

The phonetic transcription of "work over" is /wɜːk ˈəʊvər/ in British English and /wɜːrk ˈoʊvər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "work over": revise, thrash, convince, persuade, edit, attack, rework.

Example usage of "work over": "The gang tried to work over him after the game.". More examples on the page.