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Rube Goldberg

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

Rube Goldberg

Main Entry:: Rube Gold·berg
Pronunciation:: \ˈrüb-ˈgōl(d)-ˌbərg\
Variant(s):: also Rube Gold·berg·i·an \-ˌbər-gē-ən, -ˌbərg-yən\
Function:: adjective
Etymology:: Reuben (Rube) L. Goldberg †1970 American cartoonist
Date:: 1931

: accomplishing by complex means what seemingly could be done simply <a kind of Rube Goldberg contraption…with five hundred moving parts — L. T. Grant> ; also : characterized by such complex means

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