- contraption
- con|trap|tion [ kən`træpʃən ] noun counta machine or piece of equipment, especially one that looks strange or complicated
Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.
Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.
Contraption — may refer to: a contraption; a machine, device or gadget Contraption, a British electronica band Contraption, a German Heavy metal music band Contraption (game show), a game show formerly broadcast on the Disney Channel. Circus Contraption, a one … Wikipedia
Contraption — Con*trap tion, n. A contrivance; a new fangled device; used scornfully. [Colloq. or Dial.] {Con*trap tious}, a. We all remember some of the extraordinary contraptions which have been thus evolved and put upon the market. F. M. Ware. [Webster 1913 … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
contraption — index invention Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
contraption — 1825, western England dialect, origin obscure, perhaps from con(trive) + trap, or deception … Etymology dictionary
contraption — gadget, *device, contrivance Analogous words: appliance, tool, instrument, *implement, utensil: *machine, mechanism, apparatus: expedient, makeshift (see RESOURCE) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
contraption — [n] device apparatus, appliance, contrivance, doohickey*, gadget, gizmo*, machine, mechanism, rig, Rube Goldberg device*, thingamajig*, widget; concepts 463,499 … New thesaurus
contraption — ► NOUN ▪ a machine or device that appears strange or unnecessarily complicated. ORIGIN perhaps from CONTRIVE(Cf. ↑contriver), by association with TRAP(Cf. ↑trap) … English terms dictionary
contraption — [kən trap′shən] n. [< ? CON(TRIVE) + TRAP1, n. 2 + TION] a device or machine regarded as strange, incomprehensible, makeshift, etc.; contrivance or gadget … English World dictionary
contraption — n. (colloq.) to build, put together, slap together a contraption * * * [kən træpʃ(ə)n] put together slap together a contraption (colloq.) to build … Combinatory dictionary
contraption — [[t]kəntræ̱pʃ(ə)n[/t]] contraptions N COUNT You can refer to a device or machine as a contraption, especially when it looks strange or you do not know what it is used for. ...a strange contraption called the General Gordon Gas Bath. Syn: gadget … English dictionary
contraption — UK [kənˈtræpʃ(ə)n] / US noun [countable] Word forms contraption : singular contraption plural contraptions a machine or piece of equipment, especially one that looks strange or complicated … English dictionary