Contraption
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A machine that is complicated and precarious.
- 2 a device or control that is very useful for a particular job wordnet
- 3 Any object. derogatory, figuratively, ironic
"“Yes, sir, if that was the language of love, I'll eat my hat,” said the blood relation, alluding, I took it, to the beastly straw contraption in which she does her gardening, concerning which I can only say that it is almost as foul as Uncle Tom's Sherlock Holmes deerstalker, which has frightened more crows than any other lid in Worcestershire."
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"Why, I wouldn't know what this contraption is supposed to do."
Etymology
Possibly a Western US English dialectal word of unknown origin. Perhaps from contrive + trap + -tion, while also possibly approximating construction. Chambers suggests contrivance + adaption. Neither Chambers nor Concise Oxford suggests a US origin. Compare cantrip, cantrap (Scots dialect), a wilful piece of trickery.