1. at work - used to describe a force or process which is having a particular influence or effect ● It is important to understand the powerful economic and social forces at work behind our own actions. ● The report suggested that the same trend was at work in politics.2. In a way - when you say that something is true in a way. you mean that although a statement is not completely true. it is true to a limited extent or in certain aspects. ● In a way, I suppose I'm frightened of failing. ● In a way, two approaches of capitalism ad socialism are not balanced ones for any societies.