task

I. noun Etymology: Middle English taske, from Middle French dialect (Picardy, Flanders) tasque, from Medieval Latin tasca tax or service imposed by a feudal superior, alteration of *taxa, from taxare to tax Date: 14th century 1. a. a usually assigned piece of work often to be finished within a certain time b. something hard or unpleasant that has to be done c. duty, function 2. subjection to adverse criticism ; reprimand — used in the expressions to take, call, or bring to task Synonyms: task, duty, job, chore, stint, assignment mean a piece of work to be done. task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance <

charged with a variety of tasks

>. duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance <

the duties of a lifeguard

>. job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance <

the job of turning the company around

>. chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm <

every child was assigned chores

>. stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service <

a 2-month stint as a reporter

>. assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority <

a reporter's assignment

>. II. transitive verb Date: 14th century 1. to assign a task to <

employees tasked with updating the files

> 2. obsolete to impose a tax on 3. to oppress with great labor <

tasks his mind with petty details

>