operate

verb

• 1 [with object] (of a person) control the functioning of (a machine, process, or system):a shortage of workers to operate new machines
• [no object] (of a machine, process, or system) function in a specified manner:market forces were allowed to operate freely
• [no object] be in effect:there is a powerful law that operates in politics
• (of a person or organization) manage and run (a business):many foreign companies operate factories in the U.S.
• [no object] (of an organization) be managed and run in a specified way:neither company had operated within the terms of its charter
• [no object] (of an armed force) conduct military activities in a specified area or from a specified base:the mountain bases from which the guerrillas were operating

• 2 [no object] perform a surgical operation:the surgeons refused to operate my brother had to be operated on last week