To perform a work or labour; to exert power or strength, physical or mechanical; to act.
"The wind operated the ancient waterwheel, turning its blades against the river current."
In plain English: To operate means to make something work by controlling it with your hands or a machine.
"The doctor will operate on his knee next Monday to fix the torn ligament."
Usage: Use operate to describe the action of making a machine function or performing a surgical procedure, rather than simply working hard at a task. It implies controlling a mechanism or carrying out a specific technical operation with precision.
Example Sentences
"The doctor will operate on his knee next Monday to fix the torn ligament."verb
"He needs to operate on his knee before he can walk again."verb
"I will operate the machine while you prepare the materials."verb
"She learned how to operate the new software quickly."verb
The word operate comes from the Latin verb operor, which originally meant to work or labor. It entered English with this sense of exertion and effort still intact.