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to work on (someone); to appeal to; to make approaches to; to pressure; to exert influence on; to seek action from
to begin to work
働き掛けるべきだ。
We should appeal to them.
上司に働き掛けた。
I appealed to my boss.
市民団体が政府に法改正を働き掛けている。
A citizens' group is pressuring the government for legal reform.