To operate means to make something work or function. When a surgeon operates on a patient, she's performing a medical procedure. When you operate a machine, you're controlling it to make it do what you need. A pilot operates an airplane, using controls to make it take off, fly, and land safely.

Operating something usually requires knowledge and skill. You can't just operate a bulldozer without training: you need to understand which levers control the blade, how to steer, and how to stop safely. Even operating something simpler, like a new video game console, means learning which buttons do what.

Businesses and organizations also operate, meaning they function and carry out their purpose. A restaurant operates by serving customers, a school operates by teaching students, and a charity operates by helping people in need. When something stops operating, it stops working: a broken clock no longer operates, and a closed store is no longer operating.

The noun operation describes the act of operating something, like a mining operation or a rescue operation. In math, an operation is an action you perform on numbers: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are the four basic operations.