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boondoggle  |
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| noun | BOON-dah-gul |
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| Definition |
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1 :
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a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide, hatband, or ornament
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2 :
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a wasteful or impractical project or activity often involving graft
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| Scroll down for more about boondoggle
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| PEOPLE ARE READING |
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| WORD GAMES AND QUIZZES: WEEKLY CHALLENGE |
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Nailed this quiz? We have plenty more to try! TAKE ME THERE  |
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| Did You Know? |
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When boondoggle popped up in the early 1900s, lots of people tried to explain where the word came from. One theory traced it to an Ozarkian word for "gadget," while another related it to the Tagalog word that gave us boondocks. Another hypothesis suggested that boondoggle
came from the name of leather toys Daniel Boone supposedly made for his
dog. But the only theory that is supported by evidence is much simpler.
In the 1920s, Robert Link, a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America,
apparently coined the word to name the braided leather cords made and
worn by scouts. The word came to prominence when such a boondoggle was
presented to the Prince of Wales at the 1929 World Jamboree, and it's
been with us ever since. |
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| Examples of BOONDOGGLE |
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"It may be an urban legend that the Pentagon spent $600 on a hammer in
the 1980s, but it's no secret that the Department of Defense has at
times acquired a well-deserved reputation for boondoggles and profligate spending."
— The National Review, 16 Oct. 2017
"Conservatives often reflexively dismiss infrastructure spending as a boondoggle, and liberals, perhaps in reaction, often reflexively defend it, no matter how wasteful."
— Jim Surowiecki, The New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2017
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| Test Your Vocabulary |
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What is the name for a cord or strap that holds something, like a key or whistle, and is usually worn around the neck?
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| VIEW THE ANSWER |
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MERCH
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