[ˈɒpəreɪt], (Verb)

Definitions:
- (of a person) control the functioning of (a machine, process, or system)
(e.g: the Prime Minister operates a system of divide and rule)

- perform a surgical operation
(e.g: surgeons operated on his jaw yesterday morning)


Phrases:

Origin:
early 17th century: from Latin operat- ‘done by labour’, from the verb operari, from opus, oper- ‘work’