paper-work

paper-work (countable and uncountable, plural paper-works)

1. Alternative form of paperwork.
   • 1659, George Wither, Salt upon Salt: Made Out of Certain Ingenious Verses upon the Late Storm and the Death of His Highness Ensuing. […], London: […] L[ivewell] Chapman, […], →OCLC, page 45; republished in Miscellaneous Works of George Wither, fourth collection, [London]: […] [F]or the Spenser Society [by] Charles Simms and Co., […], 1875, →OCLC:

     Obſérve you not, what fooliſh Propheſies / VVe take up? how, of Fictions and of Lies / VVe make us Refuges, as heretofore / They did, whoſe Paper-Works, we down have tore?

   • 1986 May 12, John Dreyfuss, “Printer: The Line Below Goes Under the Logo. […]”, in Los Angeles Times‎^[1], Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 July 2025:

     She arranges work schedules, takes care of endless paper-work and cruises the freeways more to provide support for her officers than to make arrests.

   • 1991, Patrick O’Brian, chapter 10, in The Nutmeg of Consolation (Aubrey-Maturin; 14), London: HarperCollinsPublishers, published 1993, →ISBN, page 285:

     ‘[…] I am in fact so exceedingly out of temper that I can scarcely command my mind and keep it steady to its paper-work,’ said Jack, and Stephen, with a sinking heart, saw that he was if anything understating the case.

   • 2007 December 14, James Card, “Proof of character demanded before entry”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian‎^[2], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 6 October 2014:

     Many teachers are wondering if the experience of working in South Korea will be worth the burden of the paper-work and increasing restrictions.