ad hoc
1
6.9
- idiom
- /æd hɑk/
:
ad hoc
- The committee devised an ad hoc solution to address the unexpected funding shortfall.
- on an ad hoc basis
Examples
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Relations with Russia are too vital to the security and prosperity of all of us to be developed individually and ad hoc.
Academic text (2007) -
For temporary settlers and migrants, only an ad hoc approach is followed.
Academic text (2007) -
"In many of these programs, you have to try to line up support for ideas on an ad hoc basis.
Academic text (2007) -
And on the other hand, use rules in an ad hoc manner simply to silence the people who disagree with them.
Blog text (7) -
The answers were recorded on fact sheets that were elaborated ad hoc for this research.
Academic text (2018) -
They just seem to react ad hoc to everything rather than have a coherent strategy.
Blog text (20) -
Internationally, the United States must resist the temptation to continue down its path of ad hoc globalization.
Academic text (2007) -
We use the Fact Book, and we have ad hoc needs—data needed for issues that come up on a periodic basis.
Academic text (2007) -
The United States no longer has the luxury of considering a purely passive approach to Tehran, nor can we simply wait for the Iranians to do something and then devise an ad hoc response.
Academic text (2007) -
Washington's approach to globalization has long been ad hoc, meaning that it has relied on the preponderant power of the U.S. Treasury and of private U.S. firms to strike bilateral deals directly with other countries.
Academic text (2007)
Synonyms
56
4.8
Used for a short time when you have no better choice
1
4.6
Made quickly using what is available
1
8.5
Acting on instinct rather than careful planning
1
7.7
Says or does something without planning
A quick solution used for a short time until a proper fix is found
Antonyms
How Planned
Surface Forms
Morphology
ad + hoc
Ad hoc is a borrowed Latin phrase (ad + hoc) whose constituents are not English lexical items that a B1 learner will typically know, so its meaning 'for a particular purpose' cannot be derived from familiar English words. Although the literal Latin 'to this' loosely relates to 'for this purpose', the expression is conventionalized as a fixed loanword in English and therefore is not transparently compositional for typical learners.
Etymology
Ad hoc: The adverb ad hoc comes from Latin words ad 'to' and hoc 'this'. It means doing something for a particular case only, as needed, and not as a general rule.