housekeeping

house +‎ keeping

housekeeping (countable and uncountable, plural housekeepings)

1. The chores of maintaining a house as a residence, especially cleaning.
   • 1842, Samuel Laing, Notes of a traveller, page 474:

     Those who with us would have their own little housekeepings and cooking, have not the means, nor perhaps the taste, for such domestic comfort, and take their victuals at the trattoria, or cook-shop.

2. Any general tasks that involve preparation.

   The computer program does some general housekeeping involving initializing variables and opening files before beginning the main processing.

3. Hospitality; a liberal and hospitable table; a supply of provisions.
   • Sir Walter Scott

     "Care not thou about that," said Joliffe; "but tell me, softly and hastily, what is in the pantry?"
     "Small housekeeping enough," said Phoebe; "a cold capon and some comfits, and the great standing venison pasty, with plenty of spice — a manchet or two besides, and that is all."

• keeping house