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Jerry-built

Posted by Bob on June 16, 2000

In Reply to: Jerry-built posted by Ian Carter on June 16, 2000

: I read somewhere that the expression "jerry-built" referred to German (Jerry) products made shortly after WW1 when they were understandably poorly made. I wondered if anyone else had come across this explanation which is evidently incorrect as the expression is known to have been used since 1869 and seems to have other more convincing origins. Comments?

This is one of those phrases dictionaries list as "etymology unknown." Jerry-built, and jury-built and jury-rigged are all related to something erected in slapdash fashion, or in reponse to an emergency using improvised materials. Human beings being human beings, we cannot abide the notion of an unexplained etymology, so we invent them, as in the WWII example. It's odd, but since we'd rather have a wrong answer than no answer, if you ask for a phrase origin, someone is likely to give you the whole nine yards.

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