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Is there any generic word describing household activities such as doing dishes and mopping floors? I feel the word chore implies a burden and am looking for something more natural.

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Don't be so down on chore. I use this all the time to describe housework, and I mean no connotation of burden. – Brendon Nov 9 '11 at 23:14
Hm, well perhaps not a connotation of burden, but certainly something expected or assigned. Housework is better though as i am looking for something nice and casual. – David W. Nov 9 '11 at 23:20

closed as general reference by Jasper Loy, kiamlaluno, waiwai933♦ Nov 13 '11 at 18:26

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2 Answers

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What about just - "Housework" ?

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Pretty good actually. Could also apply to things as going grocery shopping etc couldn't it? – David W. Nov 9 '11 at 23:18
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I would prefer the term errands for things that you need to do outside the home. – Brendon Nov 9 '11 at 23:19
+1 for housework, but @DavidW I wouldn't say it applied to activities done outside the home, such as grocery shopping. Those might better be called 'errands' or similar – Snubian Nov 9 '11 at 23:21
Still, good enough for my current purpose. Thanks. – David W. Nov 9 '11 at 23:23
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At least in BE housework implies stuff you do inside the house. – mgb Nov 10 '11 at 0:19
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Seriously? Since when are doing dishes and mopping floors not a burden or chore? Might this be an exercise in denial? Housework, I agree, is a fine word. There's also job or task. But to find a word that's nice and casual is almost insulting to the doer, unless you're making an "activities" chart for yourself. I'm so curious.

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Tell it like it is! If such activities weren't chores, they'd be fun. And househusband would be more common than housewife – FumbleFingers Nov 10 '11 at 13:50

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