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headwork

headwork

1 5.8
Careful thinking that helps solve a problem
  • noun
  • /ˈhɛdˌwɜrk/
translation icon : reflexión
  • His headwork on the project helped identify the key issues that needed addressing.

Examples

  • That was good headwork, lieutenant.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Well, before you crawl off to die, Jordan, give me five minutes of good headwork.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Do the headwork with me.

  • But the man is brilliant and does the better headwork for our division.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • One side of this division contains those of the highest mental culture, simple ordinary people, intellectuals, headwork specialists, factory workers, and peasants joined by the common protest of their human nature against the domination of a para-human experience and governmental methods.

    Blog text (2)
  • The team relied on careful headwork to develop a solution to the complex problem.

  • After much headwork, she finally understood the difficult concept in her mathematics class.

Synonyms

thinking
vsheadwork
872 1.8

Careful use of your mind to consider something

is mental effort focused on solving or understanding things
mentation
vsheadwork
  • Specialized
1 9.1

A process of thinking carefully about something

is practical problem-focused effort rather than a technical term
brainwork
vsheadwork
1 3.9

Thinking hard to solve problems and come up with new ideas

is careful mental effort used to understand or solve problems

Antonyms

316 3.9

Not knowing about something or how it works

2 7.3

A lack of thought or care in what someone does

How Much Effort

analysis
3.4
headwork
1 5.8
reflection
119 3.7
consideration
148 2.9

Surface Forms

headwork singular
headworks plural

Morphology

headwork = head + work (transparent) = head + work

Direct compound of 'head' (mind) + 'work' (effort), so the meaning 'mental effort' is readily inferable.

Etymology

Headwork is made of head ('mind') and work ('effort'), so it means work done by your mind rather than by your hands. That's why headwork means careful thinking to solve a problem.