band-aid

plural band-aids · alternative bandaid

1. AustraliaCanadaPhilippinesUSAn adhesive bandage, a small piece of fabric or plastic that may be stuck to the skin in order to temporarily cover a small wound.

   Synonyms: adhesive bandage, Elastoplast, plaster, sticking plaster

2. AustraliaCanadaPhilippinesUSidiomaticinformalA temporary or makeshift solution to a problem, created ad hoc and often with a lack of foresight.First known use 1968

   It was another of those political band-aids patted over a minor sore.

   1968, United Church Observer, n 15 (March), p 36

   Synonyms: hack

present singular third person band-aids · participle present band-aiding · participle past band-aided · past band-aided · alternative bandaid

1. transitiveTo apply an adhesive bandage.

   As a school nurse, Pat was used to band-aiding lots of scraped knees and elbows.

2. broadlyfigurativelytransitiveTo apply a makeshift fix; to jury-rig.

   Rather than fix the code, we just band-aided the problem by hiding the error message.

   1 more example

   This is where the addictions theorists and therapists fail (perhaps for lack of nerve): they never strongly suggest that their critique should become the basis for concerted, collective therapy as well as individual therapy. They can't. To do so would mean risking their own dependency upon the system and upon the rewards they receive for band-aiding it.

   1990 February 4, Leonard Tirado, “Privatized 'Recovery' Versus Collective Action”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 29, page 19