am Werk
Translation
at work, in action
Examples
Ein Meister war hier am Werk.
A master was at work here.
Man sieht die Kräfte der Natur am Werk.
You can see the forces of nature at work.
Grammar Patterns
((sb./sth.)) is at work (sb./sth.) is active or in action A master was at work here.
Similar Words
Synonyms: bei der Arbeit (at work), tätig (active), aktiv (active); Antonyms: untätig (inactive), passiv (passive)
Etymology
'am' is a contraction of 'an dem' (at the). 'Werk' means 'work' or 'deed'. So, literally 'at the work'.
Memory Tips
Think of a craftsman being 'am Werk' (at work) in his 'Werkstatt' (workshop). This connects the phrase to its root meaning.