do the spadework

Make the preliminary preparations or do the preliminary research for something. For example, The department head did all the spadework for this agreement. This expression transfers the heavy spading required to prepare for planting to other kinds of preparation. [c. 1900]

Words nearby do the spadework

do someone wrong, do something over, do tell, do the dishes, do the honors, do the spadework, do the trick, do time, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, do up, do well