donkey work
noun
tedious, repetitious work; drudgery.
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donkey work
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donkey-work
donkey-worknoungroundwork
donkey work
American
Also
donkeywork
noun
donkey-work
British
noun
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groundwork
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US equivalent: draft-mule work. drudgery
Etymology
Origin of donkey work
First recorded in 1915–20
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
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 ● Mar. 14, 2023
This seems an excellent use of a computer to do the donkey work for us, but unfortunately it does not get rid of all the labor.
From Scientific American ● Aug. 23, 2011
Workforce beat the old course record by about six lengths, but only beat At First Sight, who'd done the donkey work, by seven lengths, so that horse nearly broke the old course record too.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 12, 2011
He's there to hit rucks, to do all the donkey work and to carry tightly and effectively, and that balance isn't quite right.
From BBC ● Feb. 15, 2010
In fact, the pioneering and donkey work has all been done, and the country only waits for us to step into our new inheritance.
From Sketches of the East Africa Campaign by Robert Valentine Dolbey
But they might prefer Tim Bresnan, the whole-hearted Yorkshireman, who would be thrilled to do some of the donkey-work into the strong sea breeze that arrives each day at the Waca.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 12, 2010
He might do the donkey-work; but in fact Sally must lead.
From Coquette by Frank Swinnerton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
