rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryoperateControlling equipment
verb

operate

AHP-uh-rayt/ˈɑːpəreɪt/

To function or control how something functions.

The worker operates the press by moving a control lever.

Black machine operator uses a control lever on a working press.
Etymology
operateLatinto work, be active

Latin ‘work’ underlies the idea of being active or having an effect, later applied to working machinery. Operate may have been formed from operation rather than taken directly from Latin.

In context

Easy Sewing for Beginners6:01
use my left Finger to operate the on/off switch and then I use my right hand to guide the fabric through
How to Operate a Handheld Sewing Machine - Tutorial

More examples

  • This pump operates quietly, even at full speed.
  • Her family operates a small bakery downtown.
  • The heating system operated all night without a problem.

Forms

operate · operates · operated · operating

operator noun — Someone who controls equipment or a business.

operation noun — The working of a machine or system.

Similar words

run
An everyday alternative for controlling equipment or conducting a business.
function
Describes how something works, not someone controlling it.
manage
Emphasizes directing people or activities rather than running machinery.