[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

operate \op"erate\, v. i. imp.  p. p. operated; p. pr. 
   vb. n. operating. l. operatus, p. p. of operari to work,
   fr. opus, operis, work, labor; akin to skr. apas, and also to
   g. "uben to exercise, ohg. uoben, icel. aefa. cf.
   inure, maneuver, ure.
   1. to perform a work or labor; to exert power or strength,
      physical or mechanical; to act.
      1913 webster

   2. to produce an appropriate physical effect; to issue in the
      result designed by nature; especially med., to take
      appropriate effect on the human system.
      1913 webster

   3. to act or produce effect on the mind; to exert moral power
      or influence.
      1913 webster

            the virtues of private persons operate but on a few.
                                                  --atterbury.
      1913 webster

            a plain, convincing reason operates on the mind both
            of a learned and ignorant hearer as long as they
            live.                                 --swift.
      1913 webster

   4. surg. to perform some manual act upon a human body in a
      methodical manner, and usually with instruments, with a
      view to restore soundness or health, as in amputation,
      lithotomy, etc.
      1913 webster

   5. to deal in stocks or any commodity with a view to
      speculative profits. brokers' cant
      1913 webster
see also:
operated operating inure maneuver ure 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

operating \operating\ adj.
   1. pr. p. of operate; as, the operating conditions of the
      oxidation pond.
      wordnet 1.5

   2. having an effect or influence.

   syn: at workpredicate, in operation, operant.
        wordnet 1.5
see also:
operate 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

operating
     adj 1: involved in a kind of operation; "the operating conditions
            of the oxidation pond"
     2: being in effect or operation; "de facto apartheid is still
        operational even in the `new' african nations"- leslie
        marmon silko; "bus service is in operation during the
        emergency"; "the company had several operating divisions"
        syn: operational, in operationp, operatinga
see also:
operational in operationp operatinga 

[4] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

26 moby thesaurus words for "operating":
   acting, active, at work, behavioral, functional, functioning,
   going, going on, in exercise, in force, in hand, in operation,
   in play, in practice, in process, in the works, inaction, on foot,
   on the fire, ongoing, operational, performing, practicing, running,
   serving, working

Operating >> O Words
Operating, definition of term: Operating
operating_pag1.html

Operating Syste >> O Words
Operating Syste, definition of term: Operating Syste
operating+syste_pag1.html

Operating Expen >> O Words
Operating Expen, definition of term: Operating Expen
operating+expen_pag1.html

Chief Operating >> C Words
Chief Operating, definition of term: Chief Operating
chief+operating_pag1.html

Disk Operating >> D Words
Disk Operating, definition of term: Disk Operating
disk+operating_pag1.html