contraption en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
Possibly a Western US English dialectal word of unknown origin. First attested in the early 19th century. 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.
Meanings
- A machine that is complicated and precarious.
-
(derogatory, figuratively, ironic) Any object.
“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.
1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XII, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| contraptions | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Synonyms
construction (mechanical device) · mechanism (mechanical device) · device (mechanical device) · gadget (mechanical device) · fandango (mechanical device) · contrivance (mechanical device)
Translations (69)
it catorcio (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · de Erfindung (complicated and precarious machine) · or ଜନ୍ତ୍ର (complicated and precarious machine) · it congegno (complicated and precarious machine) · fr engin (complicated and precarious machine) · pl ustrojstwo (complicated and precarious machine) · pt geringonça (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · hi जन्तर (complicated and precarious machine) · es armatoste (complicated and precarious machine) · nl machientje (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · oc èstre (complicated and precarious machine) · es almatroste (complicated and precarious machine) · it ferro vecchio (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · ru штуко́вина (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · grc κατασκεύασμα (complicated and precarious machine) · sh сокоћало (complicated and precarious machine) · fi rakkine (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · fr machin (complicated and precarious machine) · hu szerkezet (complicated and precarious machine) · tr zımbırtı (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · hi यंत्र (complicated and precarious machine) · hu szerkentyű (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · ru ерундо́вина (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · mr यंत्र (complicated and precarious machine) · de irres Gerät (complicated and precarious machine) · ru приспособле́ние (complicated and precarious machine) · fr bidule (complicated and precarious machine) · de Gerät (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · ru устро́йство (complicated and precarious machine) · es invento (complicated and precarious machine) · ru хрено́вина (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · es armatoste (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · ru шту́чка (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · or ଯନ୍ତ୍ର (complicated and precarious machine) · it aggeggio (complicated and precarious machine) · it trabiccolo (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · pt geringonça (complicated and precarious machine) · cmn 東西 /东西 (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · mi autaia (complicated and precarious machine) · ru фигня́ (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · pt engenhoca (complicated and precarious machine) · de neumodischer Apparat (complicated and precarious machine) · sa यन्त्र (complicated and precarious machine) · fi härveli (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · de seltsame Vorrichtung (complicated and precarious machine) · sv manick (complicated and precarious machine) · fi vempain (complicated and precarious machine) · de Objekt (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · it coso (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · it diavoleria (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · oc daquòs (complicated and precarious machine) · cmn 複雜且不可靠的機器] /复杂且不可靠的机器] (no equivalent exists (complicated and precarious machine) · ca artefacte (complicated and precarious machine) · fi vehje (complicated and precarious machine) · es armatroste (complicated and precarious machine) · ru ерунда́ (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · gl calimbornio (complicated and precarious machine) · hi यन्त्र (complicated and precarious machine) · fi hilavitkutin (complicated and precarious machine) · es mamotreto (complicated and precarious machine) · es artilugio (complicated and precarious machine) · de Ding (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · cmn 玩意兒 /玩意儿 (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · de Machwerk (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · it marchingegno (complicated and precarious machine) · fi vekotin (complicated and precarious machine) · nl apparaat (complicated and precarious machine) · gl calimbornio (object referred to with irony, derision or contempt) · tr zımbırtı (complicated and precarious machine)