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
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 ]