dirty work
Morally questionable deeds
Dirty work is unpleasant, morally questionable, or illicit tasks that someone must do but others prefer to avoid.
A mob boss has underlings do his dirty work.
In organizations, dirty work often falls to subordinates: Someone has to do the dirty work of firing people.
The phrase can also refer to literal grimy labor, but the figurative sense dominates.
- hired gunPaid outside specialist
- rough stuffAggressive physical conduct
- foul playCriminal or violent action
- drudgeryHard, boring work
- thanklessNot rewarded with appreciation
scapegoating · low blow · toil · hatchet job · double-dealing · betrayal · labor · perfidy · sabotage · bribery · menial · exploitation · coercion · under the table · dishonesty · stained · deception · errand
- labor idiomsnose to the grindstone, burning the midnight oil, pull your weight, crunch time, elbow grease
- Hierarchy termspecking order, junior, chain of command, secondary, totem pole
- laborlabor, labor union, labor force, laborers, labor movement
- manual laborfarming, lifting, carrying, shoveling, loading
- perseverancepersist, never give up, tenacity, hang in there, endurance
dirty workhonest work
Legitimate, ethical employment
ethical conduct · fair dealing · good deeds · charitable work
dirty workofficial duties
work, dirty, dirt, worker, working, dirtied, dirtiness, dirtier, dirtiest