Dictionary

daywork en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈdeɪwɜːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈdeɪwɝk/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English daywork, daywerk, from Old English dæġweorc, from Proto-West Germanic *dagawerk, from Proto-Germanic *dagawerką. By surface analysis, day + work.

Meanings

1. (archaic, countable, uncountable) The work done in a day; a day's work.
2. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) The amount of land that can be worked in a day.
3. (countable, uncountable) Work carried out or paid for on a daily basis; day labour.
4. (countable, uncountable) Work done during the day; specifically, the cover-work carried out by someone involved in intelligence work, as opposed to their secret activities.
   • ‘The task of servicing such moles is not entrusted to normal overseas residencies but to a Karla representative, as he is known, usually a military officer, whose daywork is to be an attaché of an Embassy.’ 1979, John Le Carré, Smiley's People, Folio Society, published 2010, page 257:

Forms

Relateds

dayworker