jury-rigged
Definition
- Adjective:
- Done or made using whatever is available: Describes something that has been constructed, assembled, or repaired in a temporary, makeshift, or improvised manner, often using materials that are not the standard or intended ones, typically to serve an immediate need.
Usage
The adjective "jury-rigged" is used to describe an object, system, or solution that is temporary and improvised. It emphasizes ingenuity in a pinch but also implies a lack of permanence or proper design. It is typically placed before a noun or used after a linking verb like "was" or "seemed."
Examples
- Adjective:
- The mechanic created a jury-rigged exhaust system from a soda can and some wire to get the car home.
- After the storm, they relied on a jury-rigged antenna to receive news broadcasts.
- The setup was clearly jury-rigged and wouldn't last through another week of use.
Advanced Usage
- "to jury-rig" (verb, less common): The act of making something in this improvised way.
- We had to jury-rig a shelter from the tarp and some branches.
Variants and Related Words
- Makeshift (adj/n): Serving as a temporary substitute; sufficient for the time being. (e.g., )
- Improvised (adj): Created and performed spontaneously or without preparation. (e.g., )
- Heath Robinson (adj, chiefly British): Ingeniously or ridiculously over-complicated in design (similar in spirit to "jury-rigged" but often more elaborate).
Synonyms
- Makeshift
- Improvised
- Temporary
- Stopgap
- Provisional
Antonyms
- Permanent
- Properly engineered
- Factory-made
- Designed
Notes on Usage
- "Jury-rigged" vs. "Jerry-rigged": "Jury-rigged" is the original and standard term, with a nautical origin. "Jerry-rigged" is a common variant, likely arising from a blend with "jerry-built" (meaning built cheaply and flimsily). While "jerry-rigged" is frequently used, "jury-rigged" is preferred in formal writing.
- Connotation: The term often carries a neutral or slightly positive connotation of resourcefulness, but it can also imply a certain crudeness or unreliability compared to a proper solution.
Adjective
-
done or made using whatever is available
-
crossed the river on improvised bridges
-
the survivors used jury-rigged fishing gear
-
the rock served as a makeshift hammer
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