English

Noun

woodwork ‎(usually uncountable, plural woodworks)

1. (countable) Something made from wood.
2. (uncountable) Wood product.
   • Some woodwork and the plaster ceiling medallions have been duplicated to match the originals., Bill Cunniff, “A stroll through OLD IRVING PARK”, in The Chicago Sun-Times:
3. (uncountable) Working with wood.

   He does woodwork as a hobby.

   • 1906, Tasmania. Education Dept, The educational record, volume 1-6, page 14:

     The unthinking man assumes that if woodwork is to be taught, the best person to do it must be a oarpenter

4. (only in plural, often in proper names) A workshop or factory devoted to making wood products.
   • 1911, North Carolina Dept. of Conservation and Development, Economic papers, number 23-28, page 7:

     The woodworks now find utilization for almost every scrap. Pine stumps are changing into turpentine bottles.

5. A place of concealment or obscurity.

   Friends and relatives were coming out of the woodwork to celebrate his good fortune.

   So when he wants to, he can just kind of blend into the woodwork.

6. (soccer) The frame of the goal, i.e. the goalpost or crossbar.

   That goal was so close, it went in off the woodwork.

   • 2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport:

     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.

Synonyms

• (working with wood): woodworking

Derived terms

• come out of the woodwork

Translations