at the coalface

at the coalface
at the coalface (figurative)
1. Employed in physical or practical work or directly involved with production, as opposed to administrative or managerial work
2. Working in an exposed, difficult or dangerous situation
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Main Entry:coal

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at the coalface british phrase
doing the hardest part of a job instead of just managing or organizing it

Teachers at the coalface know these reforms don’t work.

Thesaurus: employed and in employmenthyponym
Main entry: coalface

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at the coalface
Brit : at the place where the actual work of an activity is done

teachers working at the coalface in inner-city schools

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Main Entry:coalface

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at the ˈcoalface idiom
(BrE) where the real work is done, not just where people talk about it

Many of the best ideas come from doctors at the coalface.

Main entry:coalfaceidiom

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • at the coalface — UK INFORMAL WORKPLACE ► doing the work involved in a job, in real working conditions, rather than planning or talking about it: »Those at the coalface of the business may occasionally lose patience with management theories and abstractions. Main… …   Financial and business terms

  • at the coalface — British & Australian someone who is at the coalface is doing the work involved in a job, not talking about it, planning it, or controlling it. You sit in your office looking at consultants reports, but it s the men and women at the coalface who… …   New idioms dictionary

  • at the coalface — If you work at the coalface, you deal with the real problems and issues, rather than sitting in a office discussing things in a detached way …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • at the coalface — ► at the coalface engaged in work in a particular field at an active rather than theoretical level. Main Entry: ↑coalface …   English terms dictionary

  • at the coalface —    If you work at the coalface, you deal with the real problems and issues, rather than sitting in a office discussing things in a detached way.   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • at the coalface — British doing the hardest part of a job instead of just managing or organizing it Teachers at the coalface know these reforms don t work …   English dictionary

  • At the coalface —   If you work at the coalface, you deal with the real problems and issues, rather than sitting in a office discussing things in a detached way …   Dictionary of English idioms

  • at the coalface — engaged in work at an active rather than theoretical level. → coalface …   English new terms dictionary

  • coalface — coal‧face [ˈkəʊlfeɪs ǁ ˈkoʊl ] noun [countable usually singular] 1. the part of a coal mine where coal is cut from the earth 2. at the coalface doing work and gaining experience yourself, rather than studying or reading: • his experiences in… …   Financial and business terms

  • coalface — ► NOUN ▪ an exposed surface of coal in a mine. ● at the coalface Cf. ↑at the coalface …   English terms dictionary

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