a device or control that is very useful for a particular job

[ Syn: appliance , contraption , convenience , gadget , gizmo , gismo , widget ]

the faculty of contriving; inventive skill; his skillful contrivance of answers to every problem'

an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade; his testimony was just a contrivance to throw us off the track

[ Syn: stratagem , dodge ]

an artificial or unnatural or obviously contrived arrangement of details or parts etc.; the plot contained too many improbable contrivances to be believable'

any improvised arrangement for temporary use

[ Syn: lash-up ]

the act of devising something

[ Syn: devisal ]