woodwork en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈwʉdˌwʌɾk/ (Scotland)
- /ˈwɵdˌwəːk/ (British, Southern, Standard)
- /ˈwʉdˌwəɹk/ (Northern-Ireland)
- /ˈwʊdˌwɝk/ (General-American)
- /ˈwʊdˌwɜːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English woodewerk (“carpentry”), equivalent to wood + work.
Meanings
-
(countable, uncountable, usually) Something made from wood, especially cabinets and trim (e.g., baseboards, doorframes) made from millwork.
Some woodwork and the plaster ceiling medallions have been duplicated to match the originals.
2008 September 14, Bill Cunniff, “A stroll through OLD IRVING PARK”, in The Chicago Sun-Times:
-
(uncountable, usually) Working with wood.
He does woodwork as a hobby.
The unthinking man assumes that if woodwork is to be taught, the best person to do it must be a carpenter
1906, Tasmania. Education Dept, The educational record, volumes 1-6, page 14:
-
(broadly, figuratively, uncountable, usually) A place of concealment or obscurity.
So when he wants to, he can just kind of blend into the woodwork.
[Security personnel] seemed to come out of the woodwork from all directions, issuing orders, and rushing toward their protectees and seeking to secure the room.
2026 April 26, Linda Feldmann, “After the gunfire: Moments of grace at White House correspondents’ dinner”, in The Christian Science Monitor, Boston, Massachusetts: Christian Science Publishing Society, →ISSN, →OCLC:Friends and relatives were coming out of the woodwork to celebrate his good fortune.
out of the woodwork
-
(uncountable, usually) The frame of the goal, i.e. the goalpost or crossbar.
That goal was so close, it went in off the woodwork.
Carroll thought he had equalised with his header against the bar with eight minutes left. Liverpool claimed the ball had cross the line and Chelsea were grateful for a miraculous intervention from Cech to turn his effort on to the woodwork.
2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| woodworks | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
pull out of the woodwork · disappear into the woodwork · bring out of the woodwork · come out of the woodwork · blend into the woodwork · crawl out of the woodwork
Synonyms
Translations (56)
nn trearbeid (wood product) · pl stolarnia (a woodworking shop or factory) · pdt Holtoabeit (wood product) · tr ağaç işi (wood product) · da træarbejde (wood product) · de Tischlerei (working with wood) · pl stolarstwo (working with wood) · pl stolarka (working with wood) · pl konstrukcja drewniana (wood product) · fr charpenterie (a woodworking shop or factory) · pl wyrób drewniany (handiwork of wood) · de Aluminium (goalpost or crossbar) · bg дървени изделия (handiwork of wood) · fi puutyö (handiwork of wood) · sv slöjd (working with wood) · sv målram (goalpost or crossbar) · da træsløjd (working with wood) · mk дрво́делство (working with wood) · mk дрвена́рија (handiwork of wood) · ga saoirseacht adhmaid (working with wood) · pt madeirame (wood product) · de Tischlerei (a woodworking shop or factory) · de Gebälk (goalpost or crossbar) · es carpintería (a woodworking shop or factory) · fi ylärima (goalpost or crossbar) · nn trearbeid (working with wood) · el ξυλουργική (working with wood) · pl ciesielstwo (working with wood) · tr doğrama işi (wood product) · pl słupek (goalpost or crossbar) · de Holzarbeit (wood product) · tr doğramacılık (working with wood) · es maderaje (wood product) · fi puuesine (handiwork of wood) · de Schreinerei (a woodworking shop or factory) · tr marangozluk (working with wood) · el δοκάρι (goalpost or crossbar) · sv träslöjd (working with wood) · es carpintería (wood product) · tr ağaç işi (handiwork of wood) · mi taratarai (working with wood) · tr marangozhane (a woodworking shop or factory) · es maderamen (wood product) · ga obair adhmaid (working with wood) · pl poprzeczka (goalpost or crossbar) · da snikkeri (a woodworking shop or factory) · ga adhmadóireacht (working with wood) · fi maalitolppa (goalpost or crossbar) · de Gehäuse (goalpost or crossbar) · nb trearbeid (wood product) · nb trearbeid (working with wood) · fi puutyöt (working with wood) · fi puusepänliike (a woodworking shop or factory) · de Holzverarbeitung (handiwork of wood) · pt madeirame (working with wood) · fi puutuote (wood product)