brainwork

American  

[breyn-wurk] / ˈbreɪnˌwɜrk /

noun

1. work or effort consisting principally or largely of mental activity, thought, imagination, etc., as opposed to physical or manual work.

2. the effort of thought, reasoning, planning, or the like; ordered or directed thinking.

   Solving problems is a form of brainwork.

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Etymology

Origin of brainwork

First recorded in 1835–45; brain + work

Example Sentences

“I’m creating that network, helping them to have a workflow. I’m spending money on these marketing plans. I’m coming with all the best ideas I can. Every day is an adventure. My whole life, he’s got out and went back in. Stressed out that he might do something to jeopardize it again. It’s part of that brainwork where you just got to hold it down and financially. I wanted to build, put together pieces that would bring people completely into his world.”

From Seattle Times

They are listening, analyzing, visualizing, sequencing, and applying concentrated brainwork to understand what they are singing.

From Literature

The game plays out in an open world of sorts, letting you explore a small town and gather information on a murder — although the detective elements are more about finding things on the map than using any actual brainwork.

From The Verge

That wasn’t supposed to happen; robots were supposed to supplant manual labor jobs, not professional brainwork.

From Scientific American

There is relief, intoxication, even temporary salvation in this kind of brainwork that so differs from the frontal lobe activities that dominate the rest of my day.

From Salon