task Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
project; undertaking; labor.
- he prepared for great undertakings
noun a specific piece of work required to be done as a duty or for a specific fee
job; chore.
- estimates of the city's loss on that job ranged as high as a million dollars
- the job of repairing the engine took several hours
- the endless task of classifying the samples
- the farmer's morning chores
verb assign a task to
- I tasked him with looking after the children
verb use to the limit
tax.
- you are taxing my patience

OE. taske, OF. tasque, F. tâche, for tasche, LL. tasca, taxa, fr. L. taxare to rate, appraise, estimate. See Tax, n. & v.

Labor or study imposed by another, often in a definite quantity or amount.
Ma task of servile toil. Milton.

Each morning sees some task begin, Each evening sees it close. Longfellow.
Business; employment; undertaking; labor.
His mental powers were equal to greater tasks. Atterbury.
Syn. -- Work; labor; employment; business; toil; drudgery; study; lesson; stint.

imperfect & past participle Tasked ; present participle & verbal noun Tasking

To impose a task upon; to assign a definite amount of business, labor, or duty to.
There task thy maids, and exercise the loom. Dryden.
To oppress with severe or excessive burdens; to tax.
To charge; to tax; as with a fault.
Too impudent to task me with those errors. Beau. & Fl.