Meaning of operation In English

• 0 the fact of operating or being active:

  • There are several reactors of the type in operation (= working) at the moment.

  • We expect the new system for assessing claims to come into operation (= start working) early next year.

  • Less profitable business operations will have difficulty in finding financial support.

  • a military/peacekeeping operation.

  • Following the earthquake, a large-scale rescue operation was launched.

  • [ + to infinitive ] The operation to fly in supplies will begin as soon as possible.

• 1 an occasion when a doctor cuts a body for medical reasons in order to repair, remove, or replace an unhealthy or damaged part:

  • a major/minor/routine operation

  • an abdominal/cataract/transplant operation

  • He has to have an operation on his shoulder.

  • [ + to infinitive ] We will know in a couple of days if the operation to restore her sight was successful.

• 2 a mathematical process, such as addition, in which one set of numbers is produced from another

• 3 a mathematical process, such as addition, in which one set of numbers is produced from another

• 4 a medical process in which doctors cut a body open in order to repair, remove, or replace an unhealthy or damaged part:

  • She underwent a six-hour open-heart operation.

• 5 an act or process of working, doing something, being in action, or having an effect:

  • [ U ] Several printing presses are in operation (= working) at the moment.

  • [ C ] Setting a mousetrap is a delicate operation (= act of doing something).

  • [ C ] a rescue operation

• 6 the fact of operating or being active:

  • come into/begin operation We expect the new procedure to come into operation early next year.

  • be out of/cease operation The company was facing a court order to cease operation.

  • The construction work will not affect the day-to-day operation of the company.

  • in operation There are several reactors of this type in operation at the moment.

  • We hope to be in commercial operation within three months.

  • The firm is in its third year of operation.

• 7 a business organization:

  • Less profitable business operations will have difficulty finding financial support.

  • a banking/retail/manufacturing operation

  • We can capture carbon emissions at power plants, oil refineries, and cement-making operations.

  • The group's profits fell, despite a good performance from its overseas operations.

• 8 the activities involved in a company producing goods or delivering services:

  • Mary handles operations and travel planning.

  • head/director of operations He is director of operations for a recruitment agency.

  • The operations department is responsible for ensuring a company operates as efficiently and economically as possible.

• 9 an activity which is planned to achieve something:

  • an operation to do sth The police have launched an operation to prevent the sale of pirated software.

  • A rescue operation to save the country's largest bank is underway.

  • a cost-cutting operation.

  • a military/peacekeeping operation

• 10 the way that parts of a machine work together, or the process of making parts of a machine or system work together:

  • Teamwork is essential to ensure the smooth operation of the department.

  • Open the machine and check the operation of the locking mechanism.