ˈdead-work, dead work
† 1. Naut. (See quots.) Obs.
| 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xxi. 75 Together with all the dead works, as the cabins and galleries without. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Dead-work, all that part of a ship which is above water when she is laden. c 1850 Rudim. Navig. (Weale) 154 Supernatant part of the ship, that part which, when afloat, is above the water; anciently expressed by the name of dead-work. |
2. Mining. Work not directly productive, but done in preparation for future work.
| 1839 Penny Cycl. XV. 246/1 All the underground work of mines in Cornwall..is of two distinct kinds: dead work, or that carried on in the rock or metalliferous deposit, for the purpose of trial and discovery; and productive labour. 1869 R. B. Smyth Goldfields of Victoria 609 Dead-work, the opening up or preparatory work for mining by sinking shafts and winzes, driving levels and cross-cuts. 1872 Raymond Statist. Mines 60 They will..save the expense of timbering, and much ‘dead work’ in prospecting. 1954 S. Piggott Neolithic Cultures ii. 39 The flint seam was at such a depth that a considerable amount of ‘dead work’ had to be done before the flint was reached. |
3. Work in hand, not finished.
| 1888 Chicago Inter-Ocean (Farmer), To-night the joint committee issued a circular commanding the men to quit everything but dead work. [1891 Daily News 23 May 6/5 (Tailors' Strike) Another man declared..that they should refuse to touch any of their ‘dead’ (i.e., work in hand) until the strike was over.] |