# task

Pronunciation: US say "TASK" /tæsk/; UK say "TAHSK" /tɑːsk/

## Noun

1. A piece of work to be done, especially one that is part of someone's job or duties.
   - Simple: a piece of work that you have to do, often as part of your job
   - _Updating the patient records is a routine task for the night nurse._
   - _Among a manager's daily tasks is reviewing each team's progress._
2. An undertaking that is difficult, tiresome, or demanding.
   - Simple: A job that is hard, boring, or takes a lot of effort.
   - _Convincing the committee to change its mind proved a thankless task._
   - _Memorizing the entire manual was a tedious task for the new recruits._
4. A process or running instance of a program on a computer.
   - Simple: A program or job that a computer is running.
   - _The operating system schedules each task according to its priority._
   - _Background tasks kept consuming memory until the system stalled._
5. An objective; the aim that someone sets out to achieve.
   - Simple: A goal that you are trying to reach.
   - _The expedition's task was to map the unexplored river._
   - _She set herself the task of reading every novel on the prize list before the summer ended._

## Verb

3. To assign a task to someone, or to impose one on them.
   - Simple: To give someone a job to do.
   - _The committee tasked the auditor with reviewing every account._
   - _Officials task local councils with enforcing the new rules._
7. To oppress someone with severe or excessive burdens; to strain or overtax their strength.
   - Simple: To strain someone by placing heavy burdens on them or demanding too much effort.

## Verb

6. To charge someone with a fault; to accuse or reproach a person for some failing. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: To accuse someone of having done something wrong.

## Noun

8. A tax or charge imposed on someone. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A tax or charge that someone had to pay.

## Other meanings

- (noun) Alternative form of taisch.

## Origin

Behind 'task' lies Latin taxō ('to censure; to charge'), which gave taxa; Medieval Latin altered that to tasca. Old Northern French had it as tasque (the Old French variant was tasche), and Middle English took it in as taske, meaning both 'task' and 'tax'. So 'task' and 'tax' are doublets.

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