juryrig

Juryrig, also spelled jury-rig or jury rig, refers to a temporary or improvised repair or arrangement that allows a device, structure, or system to function until a proper fix can be obtained. The term is used as a verb (to jury-rig) and as an adjective (jury-rigged). It connotes expediency and improvisation rather than permanence, and it can imply some risk or instability.

Origin lies in nautical practice. A damaged ship might carry a jury rig—a makeshift mast, sail, or rigging crafted from available materials—to keep the vessel afloat and controllable until a full repair could be made in port. This practical concept broadened in the 19th and 20th centuries to non-nautical contexts, becoming a general term for improvised solutions.

Usage and nuance. In modern language, jury-rigging describes quick fixes or hacky solutions in engineering, electronics, software, or everyday tasks, usually intended as temporary workarounds. It is informal and often signals rugged practicality rather than craftsmanship. Some writers distinguish between jury-rigging for short-term repairs and jury-rigged equipment that remains in service longer than intended; others use the terms interchangeably.

Variants and notes. Spelling with or without hyphen is common, and some sources treat juryrig as a single word, though jury-rigged and jury-rig are widely used. The term remains familiar in English-speaking regions but is typically avoided in formal writing in favor of more precise language such as improvised, makeshift, cobbled together, or temporary workaround.