spadework

About 0.05 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun Work done by digging with a spade.
2. noun Work done in preparation for something else.

   There's a lot of spadework to be done before the scheme can be implemented.

Similar words

spading spud graft spudder grubwork spade foot spader spaid shovel spadeful

Often followed by

for of in and on to was has had

Word family

spadeworks