Rube Goldberg
Rube Goldberg
noun
1.
having a fantastically complicated, improvised appearance: a Rube Goldberg arrangement of flasks and test tubes.
2.
deviously complex and impractical: a Rube Goldberg scheme for reducing taxes.
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bɜrg noun
1.
Arthur Joseph, 1908–90, U.S. jurist, statesman, and diplomat: associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1962–65; ambassador to the U.N. 1965–68.
2.
Reuben Lucius ( "Rube" ) 1883–1970, U.S. cartoonist, whose work often depicts deviously complex and impractical inventions.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To rube goldberg
00:10
Rube goldberg
is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
Rube Goldberg
1940, from the U.S. cartoonist Reuben Lucius Goldberg (1883-1970) who devised fantastically complex gadgetry to accomplish simple tasks. His British counterpart was Heath Robinson (1872-1944).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia
rube goldberg
American cartoonist who satirized the American preoccupation with technology. His name became synonymous with any simple process made outlandishly complicated.
Learn more about Goldberg, Rube with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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