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worked

English translation: (here): to be in agitation or restless motion; to move in relation to another part (often rhythmically)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:worked
Selected answer:(here): to be in agitation or restless motion; to move in relation to another part (often rhythmically)
Entered by: Caryl Swift

17:02 Jul 23, 2006
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / children's literature
English term or phrase: worked
“When we peck seeds from the ground, we always do it in a very rhythmic way, just like this -- ” and the crow’s beak worked up and down.

Dear native English speakers!
Please advise if the verb 'worked' really works here. Does it help emphasize the 'rhythmic' idea? Or would something else be probably better, like 'bobbed' or something?
Thank you!
Andrew Vdovin
Local time: 07:16
Yes, it works (and so does 'bobbed')
Explanation:
"To be in agitation or restless motion; to move in relation to another part" (Webster's Third International Dictionary)

http://tinyurl.com/rj9hd gives a similar definition.


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Note added at 20 mins (2006-07-23 17:23:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, that should be "Webster's NEW Third International Dictionary".

And, as I should have written at once, 'bobbed' certainly gives the idea of the rhythmic motion; 'worked' does so too and, IMO, it also gives a sense that there is effort involved.
Selected response from:

Caryl Swift
Poland
Local time: 02:16
Grading comment
Thank you very much Caryl! Thanks everybody!!!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +8Yes, it works (and so does 'bobbed')
Caryl Swift
4 +5bobbed
NancyLynn
4work is much better than bob
Refugio


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
bobbed


Explanation:
You answered your own question, Andrew!

NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 20:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 75

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Suzan Hamer: To emphasize the idea of rhythm you could also write " . . . bobbed steadily up and down" (or "up and down steadily") or " . . . bobbed regularly up and down."
27 mins
agree  Fan Gao: I prefer "bobbed" purely because the subject is children's literature. I learned the word as a kid when we used to "bob" for apples at Halloween:)
9 hrs
  -> that's the exact image I had of the crow in the story, the rhythmic up and down movement is encompassed in the term, IMO
agree  Romanian Translator (X)
22 hrs
agree  conejo: I think "bobbed" is better
23 hrs
agree  fairydustbunny: I like bobbed,simply because IMO it brings birds to mind much more than work does (ie.) "when the red,red robin comes a bob,bob,bobbing along" from a song I learned as a child
7 days
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
Yes, it works (and so does 'bobbed')


Explanation:
"To be in agitation or restless motion; to move in relation to another part" (Webster's Third International Dictionary)

http://tinyurl.com/rj9hd gives a similar definition.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 mins (2006-07-23 17:23:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, that should be "Webster's NEW Third International Dictionary".

And, as I should have written at once, 'bobbed' certainly gives the idea of the rhythmic motion; 'worked' does so too and, IMO, it also gives a sense that there is effort involved.

Caryl Swift
Poland
Local time: 02:16
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 76
Grading comment
Thank you very much Caryl! Thanks everybody!!!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Suzan Hamer: and with the notion that "worked" strengthens the idea that effort or "work" is involved.
12 mins
  -> Thank you! :-)
agree  Richard Benham: I like "worked" better than "bobbed".
30 mins
  -> Thank you! :-)
agree  zaphod: Or try the crow worked his beak up and down
44 mins
  -> Yes, indeed! Thank you! :-)
agree  Mark Nathan: I think it works fine as it is.
1 hr
  -> Thank you! :-)
agree  Jack Doughty
1 hr
  -> Thank you! :-)
agree  Michael Barnett: If you want to emphasize the rhythmicity, you could say "gyrate" or "oscillate".
1 hr
  -> Thank you! :-)
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
14 hrs
  -> Thank you! :-)
agree  Emily Goodpaster: Nice and simple as is!
1 day 9 hrs
  -> Thank you! :-)
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
work is much better than bob


Explanation:
To bob implies a lack of purposefulness. Work has the double meaning of getting work done and arriving at a certain condition through repeated motion.

Refugio
Local time: 17:16
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 120

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  NancyLynn: well, when I bobbed for apples at Halloween I had a purpose in mind! :-)
6 hrs
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