donkey work

American  

Also donkeywork

noun

1. Informal. tedious, repetitious work; drudgery.

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donkey-work British  

noun

1. groundwork

2. US equivalent: draft-mule work.  drudgery

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Etymology

Origin of donkey work

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Donkeys and donkey work are essential to the livelihoods of people in developing countries, but elsewhere donkeys have all but disappeared.

From New York Times

“We didn’t need him any more, because we knew what we were doing. It was my show, and yet he was doing all the donkey work – he didn’t like that combination and said he didn’t enjoy coming down. I said, well, can we call it a day then? He was unhappy to go – we probably did fall out. But two jockeys on a horse doesn’t really work, does it? We’re best of friends now, though.”

From The Guardian

More sophisticated applications can help them take the donkey work out of repetitive translations.

From BBC

Team Jumbo-Visma’s Tony Martin is doing all the donkey work at the front of the bunch, where assorted cyclists are attending to the call of nature, or dropping back to their team cars for refreshments.

From The Guardian

“It is donkey work. White men check the plants and start yelling if just one tomato is left unpicked.”

From Reuters