This one’s for you, DIY fans. Jury-rigged means something was assembled quickly with the materials on hand. Jerry-built means it was cheaply built. Jerry-rigged is a combination of these two words. Jerry-rigged is a relatively new word. Many people consider it to be an incorrect version of jury-rigged, but it’s widely used in everyday speech.

I just "fix things" with somewhat simple solutions. As I posted in a different thread, I hated when the garbage bags trapped air between the plastic can and the bag, causing me to rlease the bag to release the air. So I drilled three holes in the back. I needed to secure a small cat shelf (later replaced) so I created an anchor strap. I needed to hang the wedding bouquet at an angle, so I used a garage storage hook... the list goes on.

My latest was a problem with the cat wanting open window time, but having a tendency to snag the screen with her claws. I couldn't risk her falling out a 2nd floor window and replacing the screens in an apartment with snag-proof pet netting was impractical. I went jury-rigged with vinyl fence lattice. She gets window, we get peace of mind.



I'd enjoy seeing pictures of your home jury-rigged solutions. Post away!