Origin and history of outwork

Middle English werk, from Old English weorc, worc "a deed, something done, action (whether voluntary or required), proceeding, business;" also "that which is made or manufactured, products of labor," also "physical labor, toil; skilled trade, craft, or occupation; opportunity of expending labor in some useful or remunerative way;" also "military fortification." This is reconstructed to be from Proto-Germanic *werka- "work," from a suffixed form of PIE root *werg- "to do."

The meaning "physical effort, exertion" is attested by c. 1200, as are those of "scholarly labor" and "artistic labor" or their productions. The specific meaning "embroidery, stitchery, needlepoint" is from late 13c.

The sense of "labor as a measurable commodity" is from c. 1300.

Work of art attested by 1774 as "artistic creation," earlier (1728) "artifice, production of humans" (as opposed to by nature). Work ethic is by 1955. To be out of work "unemployed" is from 1590s. To make clean work of is from c. 1300; to make short work of is from 1640s.

Proverbial expression many hands make light work is from c. 1300. To have (one's) work cut out for one is from 1610s; to have it prepared and prescribed, hence, to have all one can handle. Work in progress is by 1880 in accounts of construction projects, etc.; also a specific term in accountancy and parliamentary procedure. General figurative sense is by 1930.

Work is less boring than amusing oneself. [Baudelaire, "Mon Coeur mis a nu," 1862]

Germanic cognates include Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Dutch werk, Old Norse verk, Middle Dutch warc, Old High German werah, German Werk, Gothic gawaurki.

in Old English a common prefix with nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs, "out, outward, outer; forth, away," from out (adv.). The use was even more common in Middle English, and also with the senses "outer, outside, on the outside, from without, external, externally; apart; greatly, extremely; completely, thoroughly, to completion." Other senses of out that extended into the use as a prefix include "beyond the surface or limits; to the utmost degree; to an explicit resolution."

In composition out has either its ordinary adverbial sense, as in outcast, outcome, outlook, etc., or a prepositional force, as in outdoors, or forms transitive verbs denoting a going beyond or surpassing of the object of the verb, in doing the act expressed by the word to which it is prefixed, as in outrun, outshine, outvenom, etc. In the last use especially out may be used with almost any noun or verb. [Century Dictionary]