| public works | |
| —pl n | |
| engineering projects and other constructions, financed and undertaken by a government for the community | |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Public facilities and improvements financed by the government for the public good. Public works include hospitals, bridges, highways, and dams. These projects may be funded by local, state, or federal appropriations. (See also pork-barrel legislation.)