Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To assemble, or cause to be repaired or completed, an object, device, machine, or project from duct tape as the preferred repair tool, but in its absence, other items, (normally common, ordinary and mundane such as a rubber band or paper clip), not normally used for that purpose, where others would assume one needs a manufactured part, as per the design. Especially: if the items are used in ways significantly different than their intended use.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From a popular American television program with the same name, with the title character being someone of considerable scientific ingenuity. See MacGyver in Wikipedia.

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Examples

Comments

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  • Because of the way he created tools out of whatever was laying around, to "MacGyver" something (verb) is what we used to say when I worked at a hardware store. Guys would come in and knew there wouldn't be the exact tool that they needed, but they wanted to make something that would work. Similar to "jury rig" or "Ni**er rig"

    October 1, 2009