Yep, it's an old naval term, referring to improvised masts ("jury mast") or rigging ("jury rigging") on a damaged ship. As for where the naval term came from, that I don't know.
Hm. I was under the impression that the etymology of the term was thus:
ni**ger-rigged --> jerry-rigged --> jurry rigged
where the 2nd term is a euphemism for the first and the third is a more-PC corruption/variation. BUT now that I think about it I have no clue where I got that impression, and may well have made it up in my own head after having heard all three terms.
Nope... a bit of etymological research shows that back in 1616, "jury" meant "temporary." The word is probably ultimately from "ajurie" -- help or relief in Old French, from the Latin verb adjutare (to aid.)
The term came into being back when women were allowed on Naval vessels. When a woman gave birth on the ship and the father was unknown, the log keeper would note the new birth as a "son of a gun."
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That makes a TON of sense.
I've only heard "jerry-rigged", too.
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ni**ger-rigged --> jerry-rigged --> jurry rigged
where the 2nd term is a euphemism for the first and the third is a more-PC corruption/variation. BUT now that I think about it I have no clue where I got that impression, and may well have made it up in my own head after having heard all three terms.
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The term came into being back when women were allowed on Naval vessels. When a woman gave birth on the ship and the father was unknown, the log keeper would note the new birth as a "son of a gun."
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