# cooperate

Pronunciation: say "koh-OP-uh-rayt" US /koʊˈɑ.pəˌɹeɪt/, UK /kəʊˈɒp.ə.ɹeɪt/, AUS /kəʉˈɔp.ə.ɹæɪt/

## Verb

1. To work or act together with others, especially toward a common purpose or shared benefit.
   - Simple: To work together with other people to reach a shared goal.
   - _Neighbors who cooperate during emergencies tend to recover more quickly._
   - _The rival companies chose to cooperate on shared safety standards._
2. To work together so that each party allows the others to act freely, without obstruction.
   - Simple: To work together in a way that lets each side move freely without getting in the way.
   - _The gears cooperate, each turning freely without jamming the others._
   - _The departments cooperate by staying out of each other's way during the audit._
3. To function together in harmony, working side by side.
   - Simple: To work well together at the same time without causing problems.
   - _The heart and lungs cooperate to keep the body supplied with oxygen._
   - _Several small engines cooperate to power the large ship._
4. To work together on economic matters, such as trade or production, for mutual benefit.
   - Simple: To work together on money or trade matters for shared gain.
   - _Member states cooperate to lower tariffs across the region._
   - _Local businesses cooperate to buy their supplies in bulk._
5. To persuade a potential witness or suspect to assist prosecutors, especially by giving evidence against others.
   - Simple: To get someone to help police or prosecutors, often by giving evidence.
   - _Federal prosecutors moved to cooperate the accountant, hoping she would testify against her bosses._
   - _Investigators cooperated the lower-level dealer to build a case against the supplier._

## Origin

First recorded around 1595–1605, it comes from Late Latin cooperātus, the past participle of cooperor ("to work with"). It is formed from co- plus operate, and it displaced the native Old English efnwyrċan.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/cooperate (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).