English Explanatory Dictionary

stopgap

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. That which stops up or fills a gap or hole.
  2. Something spoken to fill up an uncomfortable pause in speech; a filled pause or filler.
  3. A short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained; that which serves as an expedient in an emergency; a band-aid solution.
  4. A person appointed or hired to fill a position temporarily until a permanent appointment or hire can be made; a temp.
adj
  1. Short-term; temporary.
  2. Filling a gap or pause.
verb
  1. To stop up or fill (a physical gap or hole, or a hiatus).
  2. To use something as a short-term fix or temporary measure until a better alternative can be obtained.
  3. To work at a position temporarily until a permanent appointment or hire is made.

Pronunciation

/ˈstɒpɡæp/ /ˈstɑpˌɡæp/ En-us-stopgap.ogg

Word forms

stopgap stopgaps stop-gap stuff gap stopgapping stopgapped

Etymology

The noun is derived from stop (“to close or block (an opening)”) + gap, from the phrase to stop a gap. The adjective is from an attributive use of the noun, and the verb is derived from the noun.

Synonyms

fillgap band-aid bandaid quick fix band-aid solution bodge cludge fiddle hack hack job jugaad kludge kluge lash-up make-do makeshift patch patch-up put-together quick-and-dirty stopgap workaround interim

Related words

tideover impromptu hold over tide over

Translations

Bulgarian: временна мярка Catalan: tapaforats Chinese Mandarin: 權宜之計 /权宜之计 Czech: provizorium Dutch: lapmiddel Finnish: hätävara French: bouche-trou French: pis-aller French: rustine German: Lückenbüßer German: Lückenfüller German: Lochstopfer German: Notlösung Hungarian: sufnituning Ido: remediacho Italian: palliativo Japanese: 対症療法 Japanese: 對症療法 Latvian: tapa Polish: prowizorka Polish: zapchajdziura Spanish: paños calientes Spanish: paliativo Spanish: parche Spanish: remiendo Dutch: lapzalven
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