# woodwork

/ˈwʊdˌwɝk/ (US) · /wˈʊdwɜːk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/woodwork
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. wooden parts of a building

noun · CEFR B2

the wooden parts of a house or room, such as the doors, window frames, and the boards at the bottom of walls.

For teachers: the wooden interior fittings of a building, specifically millwork such as doorframes, wainscoting, and skirting boards.

- We spent the weekend painting all the woodwork in the living room white.
- The restoration project focused on stripping layers of old varnish from the original Victorian woodwork to reveal the mahogany beneath.

### 2. working with wood

noun · CEFR B2

the activity or skill of making things out of wood.

For teachers: the craft or activity of making objects from wood; carpentry.

- He took a woodwork class at the local college to learn how to build a bookshelf.
- The school curriculum still includes woodwork, providing students with fundamental skills in joinery and tool safety.

### 3. place of concealment

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

used in the phrase 'come out of the woodwork' to describe people who suddenly appear after being hidden or quiet.

For teachers: a figurative place of obscurity or concealment, almost exclusively used in the idiom 'to come out of the woodwork'.

- As soon as he won the lottery, old friends started coming out of the woodwork.
- Whenever a controversial policy is announced, critics from both sides of the aisle seem to come out of the woodwork to complain.

Usage: Almost always used in the idiomatic phrase 'come out of the woodwork'.

### 4. the goal frame

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

the posts and the top bar of a goal in sports like football.

For teachers: the frame of a goal, specifically the goalposts and crossbar, often used when a ball hits them instead of going in.

- The striker was unlucky when his shot hit the woodwork and bounced away.
- The match remained scoreless after the home team struck the woodwork three times in the final ten minutes.

## Examples

- The old house has beautiful dark woodwork around the windows.
- After the flood, the homeowners had to replace all the damaged woodwork, including the floorboards and door frames.
- The restoration project focused on preserving the original Victorian woodwork, which featured intricate hand-carved details that are rarely seen in modern residential construction.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.