Nearby Words
l
noun
1.
a product of simple manual skill, as a plaited leather cord for the neck or a knife sheath, made typically by a camper or a scout.
2.
work of little or no value done merely to keep or look busy.
3.
a project funded by the federal government out of political favoritism that is of no real value to the community or the nation.
verb (used with object)
4.
to deceive or attempt to deceive: to boondoggle investors into a low-interest scheme.
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Boondoggle
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is lollygag. Does it mean:
| to spend time idly; loaf. |
| to run away hurriedly; flee. |
verb (used without object)
5.
to do work of little or no practical value merely to keep or look busy.
Origin:
1930–35, Americanism; said to have been coined by R. H. Link, American scoutmaster, as name for def. 1
1930–35, Americanism; said to have been coined by R. H. Link, American scoutmaster, as name for def. 1
Related forms
boon·dog·gler, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To boondoggle
Example Sentences
- Trust me, it's going to be a boondoggle of breathtaking proportions.
- Construction has been stalled while critics and proponents debated whether the undertaking was a boon or a boondoggle.
- It's not as good as a boondoggle that burns money directly, but it's a step in the right direction.
Collins
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
boondoggle
1935, Amer.Eng., of uncertain origin, popularized during the New Deal as a contemptuous word for make-work projects for the unemployed. Said to have been a pioneer word for "gadget."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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