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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

MacGyver en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /mɪk-/ (US)
  • mə-gīʹvər (US)
  • mik- (US)
  • /məˈɡaɪvə/ (UK)
  • (US) audio
  • /məˈɡaɪvɚ/ (US)

Etymology

From the name of the eponymous character in the television program MacGyver, a secret agent with an uncanny ability to construct weapons from seemingly useless bits of junk.

Meanings

  1. Someone capable of improvising an ingenious solution from everyday objects or unsuitable resources.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
MacGyvers Number=Plur lexicographic

MacGyver en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /mɪk-/ (US)
  • mə-gīʹvər (US)
  • mik- (US)
  • /məˈɡaɪvə/ (UK)
  • (US) audio
  • /məˈɡaɪvɚ/ (US)

Etymology

From the name of the eponymous character in the television program MacGyver, a secret agent with an uncanny ability to construct weapons from seemingly useless bits of junk.

Meanings

  1. (dated, transitive) To assemble or repair something by ingenious improvisation, using everyday items that would not usually be used for the purpose.
    • Our car broke down and we didn't have any tools but Jim MacGyvered it with some toenail clippers and we were able to limp to the service station.
    • It is why some of the American troops experimented with commercial drones that they could weaponize by fixing with explosives, to see how to counter such tactics, much as Russian troops have had to learn how to defend against Ukraine’s use of store-bought drones that have been MacGyvered with explosives. 2024 April 24, Helene Cooper, “NATO Puts on a Show of Force in the Shadow of Russia’s War”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
MacGyvering Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
MacGyvers Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
MacGyvered Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
MacGyvered Tense=Past lexicographic

Relateds

MacGyverism

Synonyms

jury-rig · nigger-rig