What does skivvying mean?
Skivvying means doing menial, subordinate, or unglamorous work, usually on a paid basis. In British English, the word is particularly associated with service and cleaning jobs, such as work in a hotel, restaurant, or office kitchen. It can also be used more broadly for any tedious task that someone is made or chooses to undertake. The expression often carries a mildly dismissive or disparaging tone, especially when used to characterize a job as beneath someone's status, although it can also be an informal, humorous way to describe taking care of routine chores. As a present-participle form of the verb “skivvy,” it appears naturally after forms such as “is,” “was,” and “been,” as in “She has been skivvying in the kitchen all morning.” The word is less common in general American English.
verbTo do menial tasks, especially as someone’s job. It can also refer to doing a subordinate task of any kind.
- To perform menial or subordinate tasks, especially as paid employment.
- To perform an unpleasant, tedious, or unglamorous task.
"She skivvied in the kitchen while the restaurant was busy."
"He skivvied in the hotel kitchen throughout the summer."
"The remaining tasks can be left for us to skivvy."
Skivvy can describe both the least glamorous job and the unglamorous work of doing whatever needs doing.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does skivvying come from?
The word comes from the British noun and verb “skivvy,” meaning a servant or menial worker and, by extension, a tedious task. Its ultimate origin is uncertain: although suggestions have been made, no connection with a specific foreign word or earlier English term has been firmly established. The verb developed in the 19th century and became established in British working-class and service-sector usage.
Related word forms
How skivvying is actually used
Especially associated with British English. It can sound dismissive when applied to people or their work, and it is more commonly used for repetitive menial jobs than for professional duties.
Easily confused with skivvying
Skivvying means doing menial work, whereas scruvy means dirty, shabby, or contemptible.