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Glite Dictionary
lash-up

lash-up

1 8.9
A temporary structure people build quickly from things at hand
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : arreglo improvisado
  • The construction team created a temporary lash-up out of plywood and tarps to protect the site from rain.

Examples

  • - The whole thing's been a lash-up.

    In Which We Serve (1942)

  • After the storm damaged the roof, they made a quick lash-up using plastic sheets and ropes.

  • The artist built a makeshift lash-up for her installation using scrap materials she found in the alley.

Synonyms

contrivance
vslash-up
1 7.9

A simple machine made to do a specific job

is a rapid temporary assembly built from available materials

How Temporary

stopgap
14 5.2
lash-up
  • UK
1 8.9
setup
133 2.8
assembly
  • Specialized
112 3.9
installation
  • Specialized
68 4.6

Surface Forms

lash-up singular
lash-ups plural

Morphology

lash-up = lash + up (semi-transparent) = lash + up

The sense is motivated by the idea of something being lashed together quickly, but the noun is somewhat lexicalized and not fully predictable for all learners.

Etymology

Lash-up comes from the verb lash, which means 'to tie' or 'fasten', and up, which here means 'together' or 'finished'. Imagine quickly tying parts with rope or tape to make a temporary fix — that is why a lash-up is a quick, rough arrangement made from whatever you have.