"work construction" 'do construction work'

Arnold Zwicky zwicky at STANFORD.EDU
Wed Dec 31 00:01:52 UTC 2008


heard this in a tv ad, though it was certainly familiar -- and there
are very large numbers of relevant hits for "work/works/worked/working
construction".  not in the OED,  so far as i can tell.

there are plenty of instances of "do N work" (N = volunteer,
missionary, upholstery, kitchen, plumbing, charity, voiceover,
inpatient, ...).  but none in the "work N" pattern with the
appropriate meaning, it seems.  so, a very specific idiom.

arnold

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