woodwork

come out of the woodwork, Informal. to appear or materialize suddenly and unexpectedly: Since mortgage rates declined, prospective buyers have been coming out of the woodwork.

Origin of woodwork

First recorded in 1640–50; wood¹ + work

Words nearby woodwork

woodwind, woodwinds, wood, woods, wood-wool, wood woollyfoot, woodwork, woodworker, woodworking, woodworm, woody, woodyard

How to use woodwork in a sentence

The 18th-century estate is an exquisite ode to Rococo style with towering arched windows, hand-carved woodwork, and interior columns.
Rodin, a Cadaver, and the Scandal That Nearly Derailed Him|Erin Zaleski|November 19, 2021|The Daily Beast
The more open you are about your values and your frustrations, the more kindred souls will come out of the woodwork.
What if I’m Not as Good at My Sport as I Used to Be?|awise|September 11, 2021|Outside Online
We expect that a lot more women are going to come out of the woodwork who were done wrong by him.
“People want to believe”: How Love Fraud builds an absorbing docuseries around a romantic con man|Alissa Wilkinson|September 4, 2020|Vox
For whatever reason, summertime in New York is when all the ghosts of hip-hop past come out of the woodwork.
Where Have All the Fat Rappers Gone? Or, How Hip-Hop Lost All the Weight.|Emilia Petrarca|August 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Romney seems to be bringing liberal Jews out of the woodwork.
Tom Friedman Takes a Left||August 1, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Watch out for window frames and other woodwork picked out in shades of cream or gray-green.
'World' Players' Secret Getaway|William Underhill|July 17, 2011|DAILY BEAST
While we obsessed over jobs and the national debt, it faded into the campaign woodwork.
Why 'Obamacare' May Live|Jill Lawrence|July 8, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Before the leaks and girlfriends come out of the woodwork, spill it.
Weiner Should’ve Taken the Letterman Approach|Tricia Romano|June 13, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The fine paneled woodwork in the interior of the palace and the antique tooled leather walls of the library are also noteworthy.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
Occasionally metal work or woodwork is used for intermediate piers.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various
A fine piece of woodwork is often spoiled by the amateur craftsman when starting a cut with a saw.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various
The volleys came thick and fast; the woodwork, strong as it was, began to be penetrated by the bullets.
Jack Harkaway's Boy Tinker Among The Turks|Bracebridge Hemyng
Then I heard someone outside my cabin-door working as though with a screwdriver, unscrewing a screw from the woodwork.
The Czar's Spy|William Le Queux

British Dictionary definitions for woodwork

woodwork

/ (ˈwʊdˌwɜːk) /

noun

the art, craft, or skill of making things in wood; carpentry

components made of wood, such as doors, staircases, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

woodwork

Idioms about woodwork

Origin of woodwork

Words nearby woodwork

Words related to woodwork

How to use woodwork in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for woodwork