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Contraption

//kənˈtɹæp.ʃən// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A machine that is complicated and precarious.
  2. 2
    a device or control that is very useful for a particular job wordnet
  3. 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."

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.

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