dirty work

American  

noun

1. disagreeable, often tedious tasks.

2. any illegal or dishonest dealing.

---

dirty work Idioms  

1. An unpleasant, distasteful, or thankless task or job. For example, Jane complained that she had to do all the dirty work while her colleagues took long vacations. [First half of 1900s]

---

Example Sentences

They’re the guys that are doing a lot of dirty work that don’t really get the recognition, and I think a lot of Americans probably see themselves in that lens.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the movie’s frenetic opening stretch loosens into something shaggier when Steely Dan’s 1972 world-weary track “Dirty Work” comes in.

From Los Angeles Times

When the chorus arrives — “I’m a fool to do your dirty work” — it lands as recognition, not commentary.

From Los Angeles Times

Salah's ability to do defensive dirty work was also called into question, with Chelsea's Marc Cucurella suggesting they targeted Liverpool's right flank in their 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge in October because he was "always ready to attack".

From BBC

During the 1980s, he collaborated with the Rolling Stones on their Dirty Work album, and he returned to the US charts in 1993 with his cover of I Can See Clearly Now, from the soundtrack for Cool Runnings, which followed the escapades of Jamaica's bobsled team.

From BBC