public works

See synonyms for public works on Thesaurus.com
plural noun
  1. structures, as roads, dams, or post offices, paid for by government funds for public use.

Origin of public works

1
First recorded in 1670–80

Words Nearby public works

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How to use public works in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for public works

public works

pl n
  1. engineering projects and other constructions, financed and undertaken by a government for the community

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for public works

public works

Public facilities and improvements financed by the government for the public good. Public works include hospitals, bridges, highways, and dams. These projects may be funded by local, state, or federal appropriations. (See also pork-barrel legislation.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.