boondoggle

== English == === Etymology === Coined by American scout leader Robert H. Link in 1929; alternatively “boon doggle”. Compare woggle of similar sense, which is attested in the same period. In the sense of a “wasteful government program”, popularized in 1935 by The New York Times, in reference to New Deal programs which were claimed to feature people making such braids. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈbuːndɒɡl̩/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈbundɑɡl̩/ === Noun === boondoggle (plural boondoggles) (especially scouting) A braided ring to hold a neckerchief. Synonym: woggle (Canada, US, figuratively, usually politics) A waste of time or money; a pointless activity. Coordinate term: white elephant (Antarctica, slang) A non-work trip away from a research station. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === boondoggle (third-person singular simple present boondoggles, present participle boondoggling, simple past and past participle boondoggled) (intransitive) To waste time on a pointless activity. === References === === Further reading === boondoggle on Wikipedia.Wikipedia