busywork
[
biz
-ee-wurk]
/ˈbɪz iˌwɜrk/
noun
1.
work
assigned for the sake of looking or keeping
busy
.
Origin
1840-50;
busy
+
work
Idioms and Phrases with
busy work
busy work
Activity meant to take up time but not actually be productive. For example,
We have to put in an eight-hour day, even if we do nothing but busy work
.
[
c. 1840
]