jury-rig

American  

[joor-ee-rig] / ˈdʒʊər iˌrɪg /

Also jerry-rig

noun

1. Nautical. a temporary rig to replace a permanent rig that has been disabled, lost overboard, etc.

2. any makeshift arrangement of machinery or the like.

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verb (used with object)

jury-rigged, jury-rigging

1. to assemble quickly or from whatever is at hand, especially for temporary use.

   to jury-rig stage lights using automobile headlights.

2. Nautical. to replace (a rudder, mast, etc.) with a jury-rig.

   We jury-rigged a fore-topmast after the storm had snapped ours off.

Etymology

Origin of jury-rig

First recorded in 1840–50; jury ² ( def. ) + rig ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jury-rig jury-rigged jury-rigging

Taylor plays Inez, a young Harlem fast talker who decides to jury-rig a family by any means necessary.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 31, 2023

But this year, Memorial was forced to jury-rig the tribute and break it into small gatherings, after the authorities banned the daylong reading planned for Saturday at Lubyanka, which typically attracts thousands of attendees.

From New York Times ● Oct. 29, 2022

Then again, Belters jury-rig everything, so I suppose it’s not too surprising they carelessly bound this macro.

From The Verge ● Jan. 13, 2022

It’s a movie that makes you reserve judgment and pay attention minute to minute, just as Fern’s new life forces her to discard what’s superfluous and jury-rig something new.

From Slate ● Dec. 30, 2020

He could jury-rig the Archimedes sphere into some sort of flying device, maybe, but only if he had his tool belt—which he didn’t.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

I jury-rigged a heating element for our Kenmore refrigerator’s balky ice-maker water-feed tube.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026

He’s jury-rigged a burglar alarm with foam so it makes a clattering sound loud enough for the neighbor’s Ring camera to pick up, he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 26, 2025

These are not the jury-rigged e-bikes that deliver Chinese food in Manhattan.

From Slate ● Mar. 30, 2023

Ultimately the league canceled it altogether, which required jury-rigged adjustments to the playoff structure.

From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2023

This is something I've done a few times before, but never with a jury-rigged mess like this.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Because of a global shortage of large gas turbines, Mr. Musk’s xAI and some companies are jury-rigging gas plants by installing clusters of small turbines and even retrofitting old jet engines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026

Amid those punishing strikes, Ukraine scrambled to stay ahead of mounting damage, with repair crews working around the clock and under fire, desperately jury-rigging old equipment and rationing precious power.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2023

The challenges are twofold: Inundated with munitions from countries like France, Germany and the United States, Ukrainian troops need to learn the intricacies of each device before jury-rigging the explosives.

From New York Times ● Jan. 7, 2023

She had tried jury-rigging a diaper and a baby onesie but it didn’t really work.

From Washington Post ● May 23, 2016

At least that jury-rigging will be NASA's job to work out, not mine.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

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