work over

verb

worked over; working over; works over

transitive verb

1

: to subject to thorough examination, study, or treatment

shelf stock worked over by shoppers

2

: to do over : rework

saved the play by working the first act over

3

: to beat up or manhandle with thoroughness

My boxing opponent worked me over in the ring.

Synonyms

• bash
• baste
• bat
• batter
• beat
• belabor
• belt
• birch
• bludgeon
• buffet
• bung up
• club
• curry
• do
• drub
• fib [British]
• flog
• hammer
• hide
• lace
• lambaste
• lambast
• lash
• lather
• lick
• maul
• mess (up)
• paddle
• pelt
• pommel
• pound
• pummel
• punch out
• rough (up)
• slate
• slog
• switch
• tan
• thrash
• thresh
• thump
• tromp
• wallop
• whale
• whip
• whop
• whap
• whup

Examples of work over in a Sentence

the mob boss's thugs really worked him over

Recent Examples on the Web

Walters still hasn’t surrendered a hit in 7 2/3 innings of work over eight games. —Daniel R. Epstein, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024

The album’s sound is as challenging and dancefloor-ready as any of her previous records, but its driving rhythms and indelible hooks have landed in a music world that understands it, largely thanks to her work over the past decade. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 26 Sep. 2024

Some of the priorities for TAG in its talks with the AMPTP include protections against artificial intelligence as well as staffing minimums for animation writers, who have seen a steep decline in steady work over the past few years as writers rooms in that medium have slowly disappeared. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2024

Careful excavation and restoration work over the past 20 years have preserved the ancient Pool of Siloam, which opened to the public last year as part of the City of David National Park. —Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 2