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Dictionary definition of “three-D job”

three-D job

n. an occupation or undertaking that is dirty, dangerous, and difficult (or demanding). Subjects: ,
Citations: 1998 Korea Economic Weekly (Feb. 9) “Even Dirty-Dangerous-Difficult Jobs Become hard to Get”: Influenced by the economic slowdown and increasing unemployment, even the so-called three-D (dirty, difficult and dangerous) jobs have become hard to get, for the first time in ten years. Three-D job applicants surpassed job offers by 30 percent during the fourth quarter in 1997. 1998 Michael Zielenziger @ Tokyo Dallas Morning News (Texas) (June 14) “Stubborn agency chief taking on organized crime in Japan” p. 37A: “This has been described as a real ‘3-D’ job: demanding, dirty and dangerous,” Mr. Nakabo said. “Nobody really wants to be a part of it.” 2005 Thomas P.M. Barnett Thomas P.M. Barnett Weblog (Feb. 26) “Negroponte is the USG’s ‘3-D Man’”: The “3-D jobs” are the ones filled mostly by migrant workers, and the term stands for dirty, dangerous and difficult. These words describe Negroponte’s career: the man is willing to take very tough jobs and he always performs them with aplomb.

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