task

task¹ W1S2 [ta:sk US tæsk] n

[Date: 1200-1300; : Old North French; Origin: tasque, from Medieval Latin tasca 'tax or service to be done for a ruler', from taxare 'to tax']

1.) a piece of work that must be done, especially one that is difficult or unpleasant or that must be done regularly

= ↑job task of

▪ The task of the union representative is to fight on behalf of the members.

▪ Sara had the task of preparing the agenda for meetings.

▪ I was given the task of building a fire.

▪ the skills required to carry out these tasks

▪ He soon realized the scale of the task he had undertaken .

▪ Our first task is to gather information.

▪ Monkeys can be taught to do simple tasks .

▪ They have the unenviable task of supervising the most dangerous prison in the country.

▪ Volunteers had the thankless task of distributing campaign leaflets.

▪ Trying to bring up a small daughter on your own is no easy task .

2.) take someone to task

to strongly criticize somebody for something they have done

take someone to task for

▪ He was taken to task for not reporting the problem earlier.

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COLLOCATES for sense 1

have the task of doing something

set/give somebody a task

carry out/perform/do a task

take on/undertake a task

somebody's first/main task

a simple task

a difficult/impossible/formidable task

an unenviable task (=an unpleasant, boring, or difficult job)

a thankless task (=a boring but necessary job)

not an easy task/no easy task (=difficult)

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task ²

task² v [T usually passive]

to give someone the responsibility for doing something

be tasked with (doing) sth

▪ We were tasked with completing the job by the end of 2004.