to add a shim
- phrasal verb
- Specialized
:
añadir un adaptador
- After upgrading the OS, the team added a shim so the old plugin would still run.
Examples
-
Their release notes warned they were adding a shim as a temporary compatibility workaround.
-
We had to add a shim to the build to support the legacy driver.
-
You need to add a shim to make the software compatible.
-
Did you remember to add a shim before the update?
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To ensure compatibility with the latest software, the developer had to add a shim for the older application.
-
Before running the updated program, we decided to add a shim so that the outdated drivers would function correctly.
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The technician suggested they add a shim to allow the legacy hardware to work seamlessly with the new system.
Synonyms
178
3.2
To change something so it fits a new use or situation
1
7.6
A small piece of code that helps old software run on new systems
How Extensive
- Specialized
3
7.2
- Specialized
2
6.1
- Specialized
75
3.8
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase maps directly from the literal 'shim' (a thin piece added to make parts fit) combined with 'add', so a learner who knows those words can infer the idea of inserting a small element to make things work. However, the computing sense (a small compatibility layer of software) is a technical, metaphorical extension of the physical object and requires domain knowledge, so the relation is only partly predictable without exposure.
Etymology
Add a shim in software borrows the same picture: programmers put a tiny piece of code, like a thin shim, between old parts and a new system so they fit together. So, add a shim in computing means 'to add a small fix' or 'to make old software work' as a temporary solution.