View source for kludge

==English==

===Alternative forms===
* {{alter|en|cludge|kluge}}

===Etymology===
Perhaps from British military slang, possibly based on a {{der|en|sco|-}} word {{m|sco|kludge}} or {{m|en|kludgie||common toilet}}, or perhaps from {{der|en|de|klug||clever}}. Alternatively, possibly related to {{der|en|pl|klucz||a key, a hint, a main point}} and {{der|en|ru|ключ||key, clue}}.

Alternatively, perhaps from (a form related to) Germanic words such as {{cog|nds-nl|klütje||(little) dumpling, clod}}, {{cog|nl|[[kluit|kluit(je)]]}} or Jutland {{cog|da|klyt||piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e}}; compare and standard {{cog|da|kludder||mess, disorder}}. (Compare ''[[klutz]]''.)

There is evidence that {{m|en|kluge}} (which see) was once a separate word with similar meaning but separate derivation, but the spelling {{m|en||kludge}} was widely popularized in the US by a 1962 ''{{w|Datamation}}'' article on "How to Design a Kludge",<ref>

{{cite-journal
|date=February 1962
|title=How to Design a Kludge
|author=Jackson W. Granholm
|work=DATAMATION
|pages=30-31
|url=http://neil.franklin.ch/Jokes_and_Fun/Kludge.html}}</ref> and since then the two words have often been used as alternative spellings of each other.

According to the OED, an "invented word" influenced by {{m|en|bodge}} and {{m|en|fudge}}.

===Pronunciation===
* {{IPA|en|/klʌd͡ʒ/|/kluːd͡ʒ/}}
* {{audio|en|LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-kludge.wav|a=Southern England}}
* {{rhymes|en|ʌdʒ|uːdʒ|s1=1}}

===Noun===
{{en-noun}}

# {{lb|en|informal|electronics|engineering}} An improvised [[device]], typically [[crude]]ly constructed to test the validity of a principle before doing a finished design.
# {{lb|en|informal}} Any construction or practice, typically crude yet effective, designed to solve a problem [[temporarily]] or [[expediently]].
# {{lb|en|informal|computing}} An amalgamated mass of unrelated parts.
# {{lb|en|informal|computing}} A badly written or [[makeshift]] piece of [[software]]; a [[hack]].

====Usage notes====
{{U:en:kludge and kluge}}

====Synonyms====
* {{sense|temporary solution}} see [[Thesaurus:workaround]]

====Related terms====
* {{l|en|kludgy}}

====Translations====
{{trans-top|construction designed to solve a problem temporarily}}
* Catalan: {{t+|ca|nyap|m}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|behelpen}}
* Finnish: {{t|fi|purkkaratkaisu}}, {{t+|fi|purkka}} {{qualifier|slang}}
* French: {{t+|fr|expédient|m}}
* German: {{t|de|Behelfslösung|f}}, {{t+|de|Hack|m}}, {{t+|de|Kniff|m}}
* Macedonian: {{t|mk|курафте техника|f}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|gambiarra}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|косты́ль|m}}, {{t+|ru|время́нка|f}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|truco|m}}, {{t+|es|chapuza|f}}, {{t+|es|ñapa}}
{{trans-bottom}}

===Verb===
{{en-verb}}

# {{lb|en|informal|transitive}} To [[build]] or [[use]] a kludge.

====Synonyms====
* See [[Thesaurus:kludge]]

====Derived terms====
* {{l|en|kludge out}}

===References===
<references/>
* {{R:OED}}

===Further reading===
* {{pedia}}

===Anagrams===
* {{anagrams|en|a=degklu|kluged}}