make-work

[meyk-wurk]

noun

1. work, usually of little importance, created to keep a person from being idle or unemployed.

make-work

1. Publicly provided employment that is designed primarily to relieve unemployment and only incidentally to accomplish important tasks. If private employers are hiring few people because of a business slump, the government can “make work” for people to do.

Word History and Origins

Origin of make-work¹

1935–40, noun use of verb phrase make work