Definition

Adjective: 1. Constructed poorly and hastily using cheap or inferior materials: Describes something, typically a building or structure, that has been built quickly and without care, resulting in low quality and likely lack of durability. Example: The developer was known for his jerry-built apartment complexes that began to crumble after a few years.

Usage

The term "jerry-built" is almost always used attributively (before a noun) to describe the poor quality of construction. It carries a strong negative connotation, implying carelessness, dishonesty, or a deliberate attempt to cut corners for profit. It is often applied to buildings but can be extended metaphorically to other things made poorly.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • After the storm, the jerry-built shed collapsed completely.
  • They bought a jerry-built house and soon faced endless repair bills.
  • The report criticized the jerry-built nature of the new infrastructure project.

Advanced Usage

• Metaphorical Extension: The term can be applied to non-physical constructs that are poorly conceived or executed.
  • The software update felt jerry-built, full of bugs and glitches.
  • His argument was jerry-built on a foundation of assumptions and half-truths.

Variants and Related Words

• Jerry-builder (noun): A person or company that constructs jerry-built buildings.
  • The neighborhood was ruined by the work of a notorious jerry-builder.
• Jerry-building (noun): The act or practice of constructing buildings in this poor manner.
  • The city council passed new regulations to prevent jerry-building.

Synonyms

• Shoddy: Badly made or done.
• Flimsy: Insubstantial and easily damaged.
• Makeshift: Serving as a temporary substitute; not permanent or reliable.
• Slapdash: Done too hurriedly and carelessly.

Antonyms

• Well-built: Constructed solidly and with skill.
• Sturdy: Strongly and solidly built.
• Sound: In good condition; solid and reliable.

Idioms and Phrases

While "jerry-built" itself is not typically part of a larger idiom, its meaning is synonymous with the concept of "built on sand," which describes something with an unstable or weak foundation. - Their business plan was built on sand and collapsed at the first sign of trouble.

Adjective

1. of inferior workmanship and materials
   • mean little jerry-built houses