From: http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-jur1.htm From Robert Williams: "I'd seen the phrase jerry rigged and assumed it was related to WWII and the efforts of German soldiers to keep things running by patching things together. However I've also seen it spelled jury rigged. Where does this expression come from?" It's much older than World War Two. In the form jury rigged it's from the days of sailing ships and dates from the early 1600s, if not earlier. It refers to a mast which is makeshift or a temporary contrivance, perhaps because the original was lost or damaged in a storm. Nobody knows for sure where it comes from. It has been suggested that it's a shortening of "injury-rigged", though that sounds to me like something invented well after the event. Another suggestion often made is that it comes from the old French ajurie, "aid, assistance". I swear I'll stop now....................... |
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