paper work

Noun

paperwork (usually uncountable, plural paperworks)

1. (usually) Routine work involving written documents.
   • do paperwork
2. (usually) Written documents.
   • The source stated that the alleged victims wanted the paperwork released after the settlement, but with names and identifiers removed.2016 September 1, Ellie Kaufman, “University of Kentucky sues student newspaper over sexual assault case”, in CNN, archived from the original on 08 Nov 2016
3. (also, excessive, figuratively, usually) Excessive paperwork, busy work, red tape.
4. (US, slang, usually) Court documents or pre-sentencing investigation reports detailing the prisoner's criminal history (usually in the context of discerning whether an inmate has been charged for sex-related offenses or is likely to be an informant).
   • to have bad paperwork
5. (countable, usually) A work in paper.
   • Greatly you haue boaſted of, and much threatned theſe two places, (for euery later paperwork of yours is but a Tautology of the former) […]1599, “Prov[erbs] 14. 3. In the mouth a foole is the rod of pride.”, in Master [Hugh] Broughtons Letters, […] Answered in Their Kind, London: […] [Felix Kingston for] Iohn Wolfe, →OCLC, section 9...