working

adj 1: actively engaged in paid work; "the working population";

"the ratio of working men to unemployed"; "a working

mother"; "robots can be on the job day and night"

[syn: {working(a)}, {on the job(p)}]

2: adequate for practical use; especially sufficient in

strength or numbers to accomplish something; "the party

has a working majority in the House"; "a working knowledge

of Spanish"

3: adopted as a temporary basis for further work; "a working

draft"; "a working hypothesis" [syn: {working(a)}]

4: (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing; "in

running (or working) order"; "a functional set of brakes"

[syn: {running(a)}, {operative}, {functional}, {working(a)}]

5: serving to permit or facilitate further work or activity;

"discussed the working draft of a peace treaty"; "they

need working agreements with their neighbor states on

interstate projects"

n : a mine or quarry that is being or has been worked [syn: {workings}]

lurking

The activity of one of the "silent

majority" in a electronic forum such as {Usenet}; posting

occasionally or not at all but reading the group's postings

regularly. This term is not pejorative and indeed is casually

used reflexively: "Oh, I'm just lurking". Often used in "the

lurkers", the hypothetical audience for the group's

{flamage}-emitting regulars.

Lurking and reading the {FAQ} are recommended {netiquette} for

beginners who need to learn the history and practises of the

group before posting.

(1997-06-14)