spadework

UK: /ˈspeɪdwɜː^rk/ US: /ˈspeɪdˌwɝk/ ,(spād′wûrk′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

spade•work /ˈspeɪdˌwɜrk/   n. [uncountable]

1. work, such as the gathering of data, done in preparation for further action:
   The detective began the spadework of looking through all the old documents for clues.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

spade•work  (spād′wûrk′), n. 

1. preliminary or initial work, such as the gathering of data, on which further activity is to be based.

• spade¹ + work 1770–80

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

spadework / ˈspeɪdˌwɜːk/ noun

1. dull or routine preparatory work