chore

/tʃɔːr/
a routine household task

She has to do the laundry and clean the house before her parents arrive.

Laundry and cleaning are chores she must complete before her parents visit.


informal

a small, routine task that needs to be done regularly, often involving household duties

He hates doing chores like taking out the trash and mowing the lawn.

He dislikes tasks such as garbage disposal and lawn maintenance.

The kids were rewarded for completing their chores on time.

The children received rewards for finishing their assigned tasks promptly.

Chores are often associated with domestic responsibilities but can also apply to other repetitive tasks.

Collocations

do choresperform routine taskshousehold choresregular home maintenance tasksassign choresdistribute tasks among family members

Related Phrases

chore chartphrase
a list or schedule of household tasks assigned to family members
chore dayphrase
a designated day for completing household tasks

Pro Tip

Common Chores

Common chores include cleaning, laundry, cooking, and yard work. They are often assigned to family members to share responsibilities.

Gold Rule

Chores vs. Tasks

While all chores are tasks, not all tasks are chores. Chores specifically refer to routine, often mundane duties.

Word Origin

From Middle English 'chere' (office, duty), possibly from Old French 'chere' (face, countenance), but the exact origin is uncertain.

Usage Notes

Chores are typically seen as necessary but often tedious tasks. The term can also be used metaphorically for any repetitive or obligatory activity.

Word Breakdown

chore
a small, routine task
root
English Dictionary