Word of the day

Aughts: apparently, something used only in the US, but I had never heard it before.

This marriage was, of course, the second time around for Ben and Jen, who’d first been engaged in the early aughts

Its a new one for me.....

I've heard of the noughties. Trust the yanks to be different.

I’ve got to say that I’ve never seen that to describe the early 21st century. But it was around in the early 20th century, because an alumna of my college who graduated in 1900 referred to her graduation year as “aughty-aught,” a term that always sent us YoungTurks from the other end of the 20th century into gales of laughter. Until now, haven’t run across the term since reading the declaration of that 1900 graduate.

To jerry-build: verb (used with object) to build (houses, flats, etc) badly using cheap materials

Derived forms

jerry-builder (ˈjerry-ˌbuilder) noun

jerry-building (ˈjerry-ˌbuilding) noun

jerry-built (ˈjerry-ˌbuilt) adjective

I am surely going to use it often in Argentina!

Quote from serafina

I am surely going to use it often in Argentina!

杰里建造

Quote from serafina

To jerry-build: verb (used with object) to build (houses, flats, etc) badly using cheap materials

This is the similar word I know perhaps from too much time on the water https://www.dictionary.com/e/jury-rigged-vs-jerry-rigged/

Quote

What does jury-rigged mean?

…, in the nautical world, jury means “makeshift” or “temporary.” The origin of this jury isn’t exactly known.

The word rig is also a nautical term. As a verb, it means “to fit a ship or mast with the necessary elements (such as shrouds and sails).” More generally, it means “to assemble.” Together, these words become jury-rigged by the late 18th century.

A jury-rig, as a noun, is a temporary solution that’s built to replace something that’s been broken or lost overboard. The word can also be used as a verb. For example: “She jury-rigged a new topmast after hers broke in the wind.” Although this expression is rooted in the nautical world, it can refer to any makeshift, MacGyver-like fix: “He jury-rigged a raincoat from garbage bag in the garage.”

Very interesting! I’d always assumed that a person who said “jury-rigged” actually meant “Jerry-rigged.” Unless the speaker was trump, whining about court verdicts he didn’t like.

Normalcy.....never heard it before

I feel like we did this a month or so ago?!