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Job

1. A sudden thrust or stab; a jab.

2. A piece of chance or occasional work; any definite work undertaken in gross for a fixed price; as, he did the job for a thousand dollars.

3. A public transaction done for private profit; something performed ostensibly as a part of official duty, but really for private gain; a corrupt official business.

4. Any affair or event which affects one, whether fortunately or unfortunately.

5. A situation or opportunity of work; as, he lost his job.

job is used adjectively to signify doing jobs, used for jobs, or let on hire to do jobs; as, job printer; job master; job horse; job wagon, etc. By the job, at a stipulated sum for the work, or for each piece of work done; distinguished from time work; as, the house was built by the job. Job lot, a quantity of goods, usually miscellaneous, sold out of the regular course of trade, at a certain price for the whole; as, these articles were included in a job lot. Job master, one who lest out horses and carriages for hire, as for family use. Job printer, one who does miscellaneous printing, especially. Circulars, cards, billheads, etc. Odd job, miscellaneous work of a petty kind; occasional work, of various kinds, or for various people.

Origin: Prov. E. Job, gob, a small piece of wood, v, to stab, strike; cf. E. Gob, gobbet; perh. Influenced by E. Chop to cut off, to mince. See gob.

The hero of the book of that name in the old Testament; the typical patient man. Jobs comforter. A false friend; a tact 62b less or malicious person who, under pretense of sympathy, insinuates rebukes. A boil. Jobs news, bad news.

(Science: botany) jobs tears, a kind of grass (Coix Lacryma), with hard, shining, pearly grains.