jury-rigging
[/ˈdʒʊəri ˈrɪɡɪŋ/]
noun, verb (gerund/present participle)
gambiarras, improvisação, arranjo improvisado
1. the act of making temporary repairs or adjustments using whatever materials are available, often in a makeshift or improvised manner
The mechanic was jury-rigging the engine with spare parts to get the car running again.
O mecânico estava fazendo gambiarras no motor com peças sobressalentes para conseguir o carro funcionar novamente.
2. rigging a competition, election, or system dishonestly; manipulating something unfairly
They accused the committee of jury-rigging the results to favor their preferred candidate.
Eles acusaram a comissão de fraudar os resultados para favorecer seu candidato preferido.
3. improvising or constructing something in a hasty, crude, or unreliable way
The engineering team was jury-rigging a solution because they didn't have proper equipment.
A equipe de engenharia estava improvisando uma solução porque não tinha equipamento adequado.
In Brazilian Portuguese, 'gambiarra' is a culturally significant word reflecting a resourceful, improvised approach common in Brazilian problem-solving culture. In American English, 'jury-rigging' reflects a pragmatic, can-do attitude but often carries a negative connotation when referring to unfair manipulation. The term originated from nautical traditions of makeshift repairs. In both cultures, the term can be admiring (creative problem-solving) or critical (unreliable solutions), depending on context.
NYC Slang
bodega fix, street repair, quick fix, ghetto engineering
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