Wordie: Jerry-built: Comments

Comment by Asativum, 2 months ago

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 05:53:13 +0000

Wikipedia, citing a couple of sources, says its origin are different than jury-rigged, which it says the OED traces to 1788.

The alt.usage.english FAQ has an interesting, if ultimately ambiguous, discussion of the two phrases.

Comment by Jrome, about 1 year ago

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 20:28:04 +0000

I read that too! I meant to look it up on the spot, but didn't have a dictionary handy. Where I grew up, CNY, folks always said "jerry-rigged." I think it means the same thing.

First heard this phrase today

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 08:28:06 +0000

I never heard this phrase before until today when I came across it in an article in which Middle East historian David Fromkin said he sees "a breakup of the jerry-built nation," when referring to Iraq's bleak future.