bodywork

bodywork — noun

1. the hard outside part of a car, plane, or similar vehicle, especially the painte

1.nounB2
Definition

the hard outside part of a car, plane, or similar vehicle, especially the painted metal panels.

Example

A branch scraped the car's bodywork near the left rear door.

scrape + bodywork near + [part]

The red bodywork of the small plane gleamed beside the runway.

bodywork of + vehicle

Common collocations
  • damaged bodywork
  • scratched bodywork
  • sleek bodywork
  • car bodywork
Synonyms
  • body

    broader; can mean the main structure of a vehicle, not just the outer panels

  • exterior

    wider; includes the general outside appearance, not only the metal shell

  • shell

    emphasises the hard outer covering, especially in workshop talk

Antonyms

Usage Note

Usually singular and often follows words like 'scratched', 'damaged', 'dented', or 'sleek'. Distinguish from sense 2, which names the repair work rather than the outside parts themselves.

Common Mistakes

The bodywork would not start after the flood.
The engine would not start after the flood.
'bodywork' means the outside shell, not the motor.

2. the work of building or fixing those outside parts on a vehicle, especially afte

2.nounB2
Definition

the work of building or fixing those outside parts on a vehicle, especially after a crash or dent.

Example

Bao learned bodywork at his uncle's garage after leaving school.

learn bodywork at a garage

The shop finished the bodywork before ordering a new front light.

finish the bodywork

Common collocations
  • do bodywork
  • finish the bodywork
  • bodywork on a van
  • bodywork bill
Synonyms
  • panel beating

    British; more specific to hammering damaged metal back into shape

  • repair work

    broader; can include many kinds of fixing, not only the outside panels

  • auto repair

    much wider; includes engine and other mechanical work too

Grammar Patterns

do bodywork on + vehicle

Usage Note

Common in garages and repair shops. It often follows verbs like 'do', 'finish', 'learn', or 'charge for', and it refers to the job, not the parts in sense 1.

Common Mistakes

The garage changed my bodywork in one hour.
The garage finished the bodywork in one hour.
in this sense, 'bodywork' is the repair job, not a single part that gets replaced.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

In sense 1, 'bodywork' is the specific word for the outside shell of a vehicle, especially its painted metal panels. 'Body' is broader and can mean the main structure of a car, but it is less exact in repair talk. 'Exterior' is wider still: it can include windows, lights, mirrors, and the overall outer look. 'Shell' strongly suggests the hard covering, especially when the inside parts have been removed during repair or rebuilding. Choose 'bodywork' when you mean the outside panels themselves. A mechanic might say, 'The engine is fine, but the bodywork is scratched.' A restorer might say, 'We bought only the shell, so the rest still needs to be fitted.'

bodywork ↗body ↗exterior ↗shell ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • car bodywork
  • vehicle bodywork

Prepositions

  • bodywork on [vehicle]

Etymology

English

Bodywork is a compound formed in English from body and work. It first referred to the body of a vehicle and then to work done on that part, which explains why the noun now has both a 'vehicle shell' sense and a 'repair work' sense.