klugey

Definitions

Adjective. [B1]

Examples

“Probably the most straightforward solution would be to put⟳ the www-rl servers into another domain altogether. Netscape—originally known as Mosaic Communications—has other domains besides netscape.com available to it. Some other domains available would include⟳ netscape.net, and mcom.com. Arguably, this is a klugey solution, since it’s a special case of a different type⟳: all of Netscape’s servers are part of the netscape.com domain, where they can easily be identified. Our solution really has both klugey and elegant parts.”

“Essentially, it is more efficient for the law to make⟳ these klugey patches on the overcomplicated tax code than to overhaul it entirely from scratch⟳ to make⟳ it more user-friendly.”

“Once a structure⟳ or behavior arises as a product of mutation and is amplified as a result⟳ of natural selection, or a structure⟳ or behavior arises and is amplified by genetic drift, no matter⟳ how klugey, it is retained in a population. And if natural selection acts further to increase⟳ the frequency of the klugey solution, a population cannot simply scrap the solution for a less klugey approach⟳. […] This doesn’t mean⟳ that things, once klugey, will always get⟳ klugier. But it does mean⟳ that'kluginess can beget even more kluginess, and this is more than likely what happened with brains, as exemplified by following the changes throughout the tree of life and especially in the vertebrate part of the tree of life.”

CEFR level