Falsework
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A temporary framework used in the building of bridges and arched structures in order to hold items in place until the structure is able to support itself. uncountable, usually
"Both steel and timber forms were used, supported on a falsework of steel beams erected on the new abutments at each end and on temporary piles which were driven into the river bed at mid-span."
- 2 Scaffolding, a temporary frame serving to support and brace a building under construction until it can stand alone. uncountable, usually
"... the woefully incomplete Ferris Wheel ... was a half-moon of steel encased in a skyscraper of wooden falsework."
Example
More examples"Both steel and timber forms were used, supported on a falsework of steel beams erected on the new abutments at each end and on temporary piles which were driven into the river bed at mid-span."
Etymology
From false + work.
More for "falsework"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.