"kludge" meaning in English

See kludge in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /klʌd͡ʒ/, /kluːd͡ʒ/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-kludge.wav [Southern-England] Forms: kludges [plural]
Rhymes: -ʌdʒ, -uːdʒ Etymology: Perhaps from British military slang, possibly based on a Scots word kludge or kludgie (“common toilet”), or perhaps from German klug (“clever”). Alternatively, possibly related to Polish klucz (“a key, a hint, a main point”) and Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”). Alternatively, perhaps from (a form related to) Germanic words such as Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”), Dutch kluit(je) or Jutland Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”); compare and standard Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”). (Compare klutz.) There is evidence that kluge (which see) was once a separate word with similar meaning but separate derivation, but the spelling kludge was widely popularized in the US by a 1962 Datamation article on "How to Design a Kludge", and since then the two words have often been used as alternative spellings of each other. According to the OED, an "invented word" influenced by bodge and fudge. Etymology templates: {{der|en|sco|-}} Scots, {{m|sco|kludge}} kludge, {{m|en|kludgie||common toilet}} kludgie (“common toilet”), {{der|en|de|klug||clever}} German klug (“clever”), {{der|en|pl|klucz||a key, a hint, a main point}} Polish klucz (“a key, a hint, a main point”), {{der|en|ru|ключ||key, clue}} Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”), {{cog|nds-nl|klütje||(little) dumpling, clod}} Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”), {{cog|nl|kluit(je)}} Dutch kluit(je), {{cog|da|klyt||piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e}} Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”), {{cog|da|kludder||mess, disorder}} Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”), {{m|en|kluge}} kluge, {{m|en||kludge}} kludge, {{m|en|bodge}} bodge, {{m|en|fudge}} fudge Head templates: {{en-noun}} kludge (plural kludges)
  1. (informal, electronics, engineering) An improvised device, typically crudely constructed to test the validity of a principle before doing a finished design. Tags: informal Categories (topical): Electronics, Engineering Synonyms (temporary solution): workaround
    Sense id: en-kludge-en-noun-xS-FFg-4 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 28 20 16 15 22 Topics: business, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, electronics, energy, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics Disambiguation of 'temporary solution': 35 21 23 22
  2. (informal) Any construction or practice, typically crude yet effective, designed to solve a problem temporarily or expediently. Tags: informal Translations (construction designed to solve a problem temporarily): nyap [masculine] (Catalan), behelpen (Dutch), purkkaratkaisu (Finnish), purkka [slang] (Finnish), expédient [masculine] (French), Behelfslösung [feminine] (German), Hack [masculine] (German), Kniff [masculine] (German), курафте техника (kurafte tehnika) [feminine] (Macedonian), gambiarra (Portuguese), косты́ль (kostýlʹ) [masculine] (Russian), время́нка (vremjánka) [feminine] (Russian), truco [masculine] (Spanish), chapuza [feminine] (Spanish), ñapa (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-kludge-en-noun-Z~xgv2ax Disambiguation of 'construction designed to solve a problem temporarily': 16 70 7 7
  3. (informal, computing) An amalgamated mass of unrelated parts. Tags: informal Categories (topical): Computing
    Sense id: en-kludge-en-noun-0JYSd74m Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
  4. (informal, computing) A badly written or makeshift piece of software; a hack. Tags: informal Categories (topical): Computing
    Sense id: en-kludge-en-noun-Vf7TDk3e Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: cludge, kluge Related terms: kludgy

Verb

IPA: /klʌd͡ʒ/, /kluːd͡ʒ/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-kludge.wav [Southern-England] Forms: kludges [present, singular, third-person], kludging [participle, present], kludged [participle, past], kludged [past]
Rhymes: -ʌdʒ, -uːdʒ Etymology: Perhaps from British military slang, possibly based on a Scots word kludge or kludgie (“common toilet”), or perhaps from German klug (“clever”). Alternatively, possibly related to Polish klucz (“a key, a hint, a main point”) and Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”). Alternatively, perhaps from (a form related to) Germanic words such as Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”), Dutch kluit(je) or Jutland Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”); compare and standard Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”). (Compare klutz.) There is evidence that kluge (which see) was once a separate word with similar meaning but separate derivation, but the spelling kludge was widely popularized in the US by a 1962 Datamation article on "How to Design a Kludge", and since then the two words have often been used as alternative spellings of each other. According to the OED, an "invented word" influenced by bodge and fudge. Etymology templates: {{der|en|sco|-}} Scots, {{m|sco|kludge}} kludge, {{m|en|kludgie||common toilet}} kludgie (“common toilet”), {{der|en|de|klug||clever}} German klug (“clever”), {{der|en|pl|klucz||a key, a hint, a main point}} Polish klucz (“a key, a hint, a main point”), {{der|en|ru|ключ||key, clue}} Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”), {{cog|nds-nl|klütje||(little) dumpling, clod}} Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”), {{cog|nl|kluit(je)}} Dutch kluit(je), {{cog|da|klyt||piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e}} Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”), {{cog|da|kludder||mess, disorder}} Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”), {{m|en|kluge}} kluge, {{m|en||kludge}} kludge, {{m|en|bodge}} bodge, {{m|en|fudge}} fudge Head templates: {{en-verb}} kludge (third-person singular simple present kludges, present participle kludging, simple past and past participle kludged)
  1. (informal, transitive) To build or use a kludge. Tags: informal, transitive Synonyms: bodge, cobble together, jury-rig, kludge, knock together, knock up, MacGyver, make-do, patch, patch-up Hypernyms: build, improvise, repair Hyponyms: frig, fudge, hack Derived forms: kludge out Related terms: workaround [noun]
    Sense id: en-kludge-en-verb-lNGpoTmS
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: cludge, kluge

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for kludge meaning in English (13.8kB)

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        "1": "en",
        "2": "fudge"
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  "etymology_text": "Perhaps from British military slang, possibly based on a Scots word kludge or kludgie (“common toilet”), or perhaps from German klug (“clever”). Alternatively, possibly related to Polish klucz (“a key, a hint, a main point”) and Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”).\nAlternatively, perhaps from (a form related to) Germanic words such as Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”), Dutch kluit(je) or Jutland Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”); compare and standard Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”). (Compare klutz.)\nThere is evidence that kluge (which see) was once a separate word with similar meaning but separate derivation, but the spelling kludge was widely popularized in the US by a 1962 Datamation article on \"How to Design a Kludge\", and since then the two words have often been used as alternative spellings of each other.\nAccording to the OED, an \"invented word\" influenced by bodge and fudge.",
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  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
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  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
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          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Electronics",
          "orig": "en:Electronics",
          "parents": [
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        "(informal, electronics, engineering) An improvised device, typically crudely constructed to test the validity of a principle before doing a finished design."
      ],
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          "_dis1": "35 21 23 22",
          "sense": "temporary solution",
          "word": "workaround"
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        "engineering",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "physics"
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      "id": "en-kludge-en-noun-Z~xgv2ax",
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        "(informal) Any construction or practice, typically crude yet effective, designed to solve a problem temporarily or expediently."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "nyap"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "word": "behelpen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "word": "purkkaratkaisu"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "purkka"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "expédient"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Behelfslösung"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Hack"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Kniff"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "kurafte tehnika",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "курафте техника"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "word": "gambiarra"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "kostýlʹ",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "косты́ль"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "vremjánka",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "время́нка"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
          "tags": [
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          "word": "truco"
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        {
          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
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          "_dis1": "16 70 7 7",
          "code": "es",
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      "id": "en-kludge-en-noun-0JYSd74m",
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        "(informal, computing) An amalgamated mass of unrelated parts."
      ],
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        "informal"
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        "mathematics",
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            "Fundamental"
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        }
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        "A badly written or makeshift piece of software; a hack."
      ],
      "id": "en-kludge-en-noun-Vf7TDk3e",
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        "(informal, computing) A badly written or makeshift piece of software; a hack."
      ],
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        "computing",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
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  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/klʌd͡ʒ/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kluːd͡ʒ/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ʌdʒ"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-uːdʒ"
    },
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      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
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    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "cludge"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "kluge"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Datamation"
  ],
  "word": "kludge"
}

{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "engineer"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "plan"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
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        "3": "-"
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      "args": {
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        "2": "de",
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      "expansion": "German klug (“clever”)",
      "name": "der"
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    {
      "args": {
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        "2": "pl",
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        "5": "a key, a hint, a main point"
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      "args": {
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        "2": "ru",
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        "5": "key, clue"
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      "expansion": "Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nds-nl",
        "2": "klütje",
        "3": "",
        "4": "(little) dumpling, clod"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "kluit(je)"
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      "expansion": "Dutch kluit(je)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "klyt",
        "3": "",
        "4": "piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e"
      },
      "expansion": "Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "kludder",
        "3": "",
        "4": "mess, disorder"
      },
      "expansion": "Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "kluge"
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      "expansion": "kluge",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "",
        "3": "kludge"
      },
      "expansion": "kludge",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "bodge"
      },
      "expansion": "bodge",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fudge"
      },
      "expansion": "fudge",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Perhaps from British military slang, possibly based on a Scots word kludge or kludgie (“common toilet”), or perhaps from German klug (“clever”). Alternatively, possibly related to Polish klucz (“a key, a hint, a main point”) and Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”).\nAlternatively, perhaps from (a form related to) Germanic words such as Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”), Dutch kluit(je) or Jutland Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”); compare and standard Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”). (Compare klutz.)\nThere is evidence that kluge (which see) was once a separate word with similar meaning but separate derivation, but the spelling kludge was widely popularized in the US by a 1962 Datamation article on \"How to Design a Kludge\", and since then the two words have often been used as alternative spellings of each other.\nAccording to the OED, an \"invented word\" influenced by bodge and fudge.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "kludges",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "kludging",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "kludged",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "kludged",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "kludge (third-person singular simple present kludges, present participle kludging, simple past and past participle kludged)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "kludge out"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To build or use a kludge."
      ],
      "hypernyms": [
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "build"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "improvise"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "repair"
        }
      ],
      "hyponyms": [
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "frig"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "fudge"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "hack"
        }
      ],
      "id": "en-kludge-en-verb-lNGpoTmS",
      "links": [
        [
          "build",
          "build"
        ],
        [
          "use",
          "use"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, transitive) To build or use a kludge."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "tags": [
            "noun"
          ],
          "word": "workaround"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "bodge"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "cobble together"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "jury-rig"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "kludge"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "knock together"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "knock up"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "MacGyver"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "make-do"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "patch"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
          "word": "patch-up"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal",
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/klʌd͡ʒ/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kluːd͡ʒ/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ʌdʒ"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-uːdʒ"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-kludge.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "cludge"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "kluge"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Datamation"
  ],
  "word": "kludge"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 1-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from German",
    "English terms derived from Polish",
    "English terms derived from Russian",
    "English terms derived from Scots",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English verbs",
    "Rhymes:English/uːdʒ",
    "Rhymes:English/ʌdʒ",
    "Rhymes:English/ʌdʒ/1 syllable"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sco",
        "3": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Scots",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "sco",
        "2": "kludge"
      },
      "expansion": "kludge",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "kludgie",
        "3": "",
        "4": "common toilet"
      },
      "expansion": "kludgie (“common toilet”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "de",
        "3": "klug",
        "4": "",
        "5": "clever"
      },
      "expansion": "German klug (“clever”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "pl",
        "3": "klucz",
        "4": "",
        "5": "a key, a hint, a main point"
      },
      "expansion": "Polish klucz (“a key, a hint, a main point”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ru",
        "3": "ключ",
        "4": "",
        "5": "key, clue"
      },
      "expansion": "Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nds-nl",
        "2": "klütje",
        "3": "",
        "4": "(little) dumpling, clod"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "kluit(je)"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch kluit(je)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "klyt",
        "3": "",
        "4": "piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e"
      },
      "expansion": "Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "kludder",
        "3": "",
        "4": "mess, disorder"
      },
      "expansion": "Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "kluge"
      },
      "expansion": "kluge",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "",
        "3": "kludge"
      },
      "expansion": "kludge",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "bodge"
      },
      "expansion": "bodge",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fudge"
      },
      "expansion": "fudge",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Perhaps from British military slang, possibly based on a Scots word kludge or kludgie (“common toilet”), or perhaps from German klug (“clever”). Alternatively, possibly related to Polish klucz (“a key, a hint, a main point”) and Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”).\nAlternatively, perhaps from (a form related to) Germanic words such as Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”), Dutch kluit(je) or Jutland Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”); compare and standard Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”). (Compare klutz.)\nThere is evidence that kluge (which see) was once a separate word with similar meaning but separate derivation, but the spelling kludge was widely popularized in the US by a 1962 Datamation article on \"How to Design a Kludge\", and since then the two words have often been used as alternative spellings of each other.\nAccording to the OED, an \"invented word\" influenced by bodge and fudge.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "kludges",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "kludge (plural kludges)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "kludgy"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms",
        "en:Electronics",
        "en:Engineering"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An improvised device, typically crudely constructed to test the validity of a principle before doing a finished design."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "electronics",
          "electronics"
        ],
        [
          "engineering",
          "engineering#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "device",
          "device"
        ],
        [
          "crude",
          "crude"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, electronics, engineering) An improvised device, typically crudely constructed to test the validity of a principle before doing a finished design."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "business",
        "electrical-engineering",
        "electricity",
        "electromagnetism",
        "electronics",
        "energy",
        "engineering",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "physics"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Any construction or practice, typically crude yet effective, designed to solve a problem temporarily or expediently."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "temporarily",
          "temporarily"
        ],
        [
          "expediently",
          "expediently"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) Any construction or practice, typically crude yet effective, designed to solve a problem temporarily or expediently."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms",
        "en:Computing"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An amalgamated mass of unrelated parts."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "computing",
          "computing#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, computing) An amalgamated mass of unrelated parts."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "computing",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms",
        "en:Computing"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A badly written or makeshift piece of software; a hack."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "computing",
          "computing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "makeshift",
          "makeshift"
        ],
        [
          "software",
          "software"
        ],
        [
          "hack",
          "hack"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, computing) A badly written or makeshift piece of software; a hack."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "computing",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/klʌd͡ʒ/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kluːd͡ʒ/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ʌdʒ"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-uːdʒ"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-kludge.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "sense": "temporary solution",
      "word": "workaround"
    },
    {
      "word": "cludge"
    },
    {
      "word": "kluge"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "nyap"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "word": "behelpen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "word": "purkkaratkaisu"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ],
      "word": "purkka"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "expédient"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Behelfslösung"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Hack"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Kniff"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "kurafte tehnika",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "курафте техника"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "word": "gambiarra"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "kostýlʹ",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "косты́ль"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "vremjánka",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "время́нка"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "truco"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "chapuza"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "construction designed to solve a problem temporarily",
      "word": "ñapa"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Datamation"
  ],
  "word": "kludge"
}

{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "engineer"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "plan"
    }
  ],
  "categories": [
    "English 1-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from German",
    "English terms derived from Polish",
    "English terms derived from Russian",
    "English terms derived from Scots",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English verbs",
    "Rhymes:English/uːdʒ",
    "Rhymes:English/ʌdʒ",
    "Rhymes:English/ʌdʒ/1 syllable"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "kludge out"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sco",
        "3": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Scots",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "sco",
        "2": "kludge"
      },
      "expansion": "kludge",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "kludgie",
        "3": "",
        "4": "common toilet"
      },
      "expansion": "kludgie (“common toilet”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "de",
        "3": "klug",
        "4": "",
        "5": "clever"
      },
      "expansion": "German klug (“clever”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "pl",
        "3": "klucz",
        "4": "",
        "5": "a key, a hint, a main point"
      },
      "expansion": "Polish klucz (“a key, a hint, a main point”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ru",
        "3": "ключ",
        "4": "",
        "5": "key, clue"
      },
      "expansion": "Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nds-nl",
        "2": "klütje",
        "3": "",
        "4": "(little) dumpling, clod"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "kluit(je)"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch kluit(je)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "klyt",
        "3": "",
        "4": "piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e"
      },
      "expansion": "Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "kludder",
        "3": "",
        "4": "mess, disorder"
      },
      "expansion": "Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "kluge"
      },
      "expansion": "kluge",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "",
        "3": "kludge"
      },
      "expansion": "kludge",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "bodge"
      },
      "expansion": "bodge",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fudge"
      },
      "expansion": "fudge",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Perhaps from British military slang, possibly based on a Scots word kludge or kludgie (“common toilet”), or perhaps from German klug (“clever”). Alternatively, possibly related to Polish klucz (“a key, a hint, a main point”) and Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”).\nAlternatively, perhaps from (a form related to) Germanic words such as Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”), Dutch kluit(je) or Jutland Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”); compare and standard Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”). (Compare klutz.)\nThere is evidence that kluge (which see) was once a separate word with similar meaning but separate derivation, but the spelling kludge was widely popularized in the US by a 1962 Datamation article on \"How to Design a Kludge\", and since then the two words have often been used as alternative spellings of each other.\nAccording to the OED, an \"invented word\" influenced by bodge and fudge.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "kludges",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "kludging",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "kludged",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "kludged",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "kludge (third-person singular simple present kludges, present participle kludging, simple past and past participle kludged)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "hypernyms": [
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "build"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "improvise"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "repair"
    }
  ],
  "hyponyms": [
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "frig"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "fudge"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "hack"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "tags": [
        "noun"
      ],
      "word": "workaround"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To build or use a kludge."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "build",
          "build"
        ],
        [
          "use",
          "use"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, transitive) To build or use a kludge."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal",
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/klʌd͡ʒ/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kluːd͡ʒ/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ʌdʒ"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-uːdʒ"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-kludge.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-kludge.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "cludge"
    },
    {
      "word": "kluge"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "bodge"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "cobble together"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "jury-rig"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "kludge"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "knock together"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "knock up"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "MacGyver"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "make-do"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "patch"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:kludge",
      "word": "patch-up"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Datamation"
  ],
  "word": "kludge"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.