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Glite Dictionary
flatwork

flatwork

8.9
Laundry like sheets, tablecloths and towels you iron flat
  • noun
  • /ˈflætˌwɜrk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ropa plana
  • After washing, the laundry room was filled with flatwork waiting to be ironed.

Examples

  • To prepare for the dinner service, the restaurant staff polished the flatwork like tablecloths and napkins.

  • Flatwork Substances, huh?

    Hack! (2007)

  • Your flatwork is a gasser.

    Pal Joey (1957)

  • Glaspey is certified as a National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) Pervious Concrete Craftsman and an ACI Flatwork Finisher.

    Academic text (2016)

  • The hotel staff ensured that the flatwork, including sheets and towels, was perfectly pressed for the guests.

Synonyms

flat wash
vsflatwork
5.3

Large flat laundry items like sheets and towels that are ironed by machine

focuses on items processed mechanically, not limited to hand ironing methods

Compounds

flatwork ironer
  • Specialized
9.9

A large machine that irons and dries sheets and tablecloths in laundries

Surface Forms

flatwork singular
flatworks plural

Morphology

flatwork = flat + work (semi-transparent) = flat + work

The components 'flat' + 'work' are recognizable, but the specialized laundry meaning (flat linens processed while flat) is a domain-specific extension not obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Flatwork comes from the parts flat ('smooth or level') and work ('things to be done'), which are both familiar English words. So, flatwork means laundry like sheets and towels that are finished while lying flat, and that is why hotels and laundries treat these items differently.