Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
An improvised repair made with no regard for safety.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic
Topics: engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see penny, in, the, fusebox.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
By metaphorical extension from the literal sense, a makeshift to close a circuit when no replacement fuse is at hand; unsafe, inadvisable, and disdained by others in any circumstance except a rare one like wartime heroism.
