donkey work

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word donkey work. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word donkey work, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say donkey work in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word donkey work you have here. The definition of the word donkey work will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofdonkey work, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Noun

donkey work (uncountable)

  1. (idiomatic) Work that is difficult, boring, and routine.
    Why does everyone else get the interesting work while I have to do all the donkey work?
    • 2019, Bernardine Evaristo, Girl, Woman, Other, Penguin Books (2020), page 161:
      Labi said she did not need to carry planks of wood on her head any more, it was donkey work for idiots
    • 2022, The Atlantic:
      But what looks like donkeywork is a necessary step in a formulaic approach, a set of prescribed practices that have their own embedded wisdom.

Translations

See also