outwork
|out-work|
🇺🇸
/aʊtˈwɜrk/
🇬🇧
/aʊtˈwɜːk/
work outside; surpass by work
Etymology
'outwork' originates from English, specifically the combination of the prefix 'out-' and the noun/verb 'work', where 'out-' meant 'outside, beyond' and 'work' meant 'labor or a constructed work'.
'out-' comes from Old English 'ūt' meaning 'out', and 'work' comes from Old English 'weorc' (work, labour); the compound 'outwork' appears in Middle English to denote both external labour and an external defensive work and developed into the modern forms 'outwork' and 'outworks'.
Initially it referred to 'work done outside' or an 'external defensive work'; over time it also acquired the figurative sense 'to surpass by working harder', which is common in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a detached defensive work or fortification outside the main ramparts of a fortress.
The soldiers held the outwork until reinforcements arrived.
Synonyms
Noun 2
work or manufacturing performed away from the main workshop or factory (often by subcontractors or home-based producers).
Much of the garment's finishing was done as outwork by local artisans.
Synonyms
Verb 1
to work harder or more effectively than someone else; to surpass by superior effort or productivity.
She can outwork anyone on the crew.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/04 00:25