operate

operate — verb

1. if equipment, a system, or a service operates, it does its job; if a person or c

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

if equipment, a system, or a service operates, it does its job; if a person or company operates one, they run it and keep it going.

Example

This washing machine operates quietly, even during the late-night cycle.

intransitive: machine operates

Nina learned to operate the cash register on her first shift.

operate + machine/equipment

Common collocations
  • operate a machine
  • operate equipment
  • operate a service
  • operate from a base
  • operate smoothly
Synonyms
  • work

    used when the thing itself functions; not for running a business with an object

  • run

    common for businesses and services; slightly less technical

  • manage

    focuses on directing a business or service, not usually a machine

  • control

    stresses handling how a machine or system behaves

Antonyms
  • fail

    for a machine or system that stops working properly

  • shut down

    for a business, service, or machine that is no longer running

Grammar Patterns

[machine/system/service] + operates

operate + machine/equipment

operate + business/service

operate from + place

Usage Note

Subject is often a machine, system, business, service, or organization. When a person or company is the subject, the object is usually equipment, a system, or a service they control or run; distinguish from sense 2, which is only about surgery.

Common Mistakes

Can you operate to this printer?
Can you operate this printer?
Use a direct object for the machine or device you control.

2. to do surgery on a person, often by opening the body and treating a problem insi

2.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to do surgery on a person, often by opening the body and treating a problem inside.

Example

Dr. Shah will operate tomorrow morning after the test results arrive.

intransitive medical use

The team operated on Leo's knee for nearly three hours.

operate on + body part

Common collocations
  • operate on a patient
  • operate on the knee
  • decide to operate
  • operate tomorrow morning
Synonyms
  • do surgery

    everyday wording; less formal than 'operate'

  • perform surgery

    formal medical wording

  • treat

    much broader; only fits when the medical context is already clear

Grammar Patterns

operate

operate on + patient/body part

Usage Note

Subject is usually a surgeon or medical team. Often followed by on before the patient or body part, and it can appear without an object when the patient is already understood.

Common Mistakes

The surgeon operated her knee.
The surgeon operated on her knee.
Use 'operate on' before the patient or body part.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

For sense 1, operate is a broad verb for machines, systems, services, and businesses. Work is the simplest choice when the thing itself functions: The fan works again. Use operate when the context is more technical or when someone actively makes something run: Nina operates the cash register. Run is common for services and businesses, so a city runs a bus line, though operate sounds more official. Manage focuses more on leadership and decisions than on keeping equipment going. Control stresses directing how a machine or system behaves. A mechanic operates a crane, a company runs a ferry service, and a manager oversees the staff.

operate ↗work ↗run ↗manage ↗control ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • be able to operate

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Operate comes from Latin operari, meaning "to work" or "to carry out a task", and it is related to opus, meaning "work". English kept that basic idea, so today operate is used both for making machines or services run and for carrying out actions such as surgery.