Heath Robinson
/hiːθ ˈrɒbɪns(ə)n
/adjective British
Ingeniously or ridiculously over-complicated in design or construction: a vast Heath Robinson mechanism...
- Standing outside (now with cold feet), watching ‘her’ (as Donald refers to the wheel) crank into action as the sluice gates let in water from the Essett burn, there was a Heath Robinson moment.
- The Liberal Democratic Party is a Heath Robinson contraption which defies the Laws of physics.
- The organisation has a Heath Robinson scheme involving a trolley on wheels with a grease trap.
Origin
Early 20th century: named after W. Heath Robinson (see Robinson, Heath).
- well-handled
- well-hardened
- well-harnessed
- well-havened
- well head
- well-headed
- well-hearted
- well-heated
- well heeled
- well-hewn
- well-hinged
- well-hoarded
- well hole
- well hook
- well-horned
- well-horsed
- well house
- well-housed
- well-hued
- well-humored
- well-humoured
- well hung
- well-husbanded
- well, I declare
- wellie