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quick-and-dirty

(idiomatic) A quick, temporary fix, estimate, or the like.

kwɪˈkændɹitiDocumented since 1890sSilenthistorical174 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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3 definitions
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Etymology timeline

Born ~1896 · no dated citations yet
1896BornToday, 2026

Definitions

#1·Apr 27, 2026

(idiomatic) A quick, temporary fix, estimate, or the like.

The car broke down but we managed to do a quick-and-dirty and were back on the road in fifteen minutes.
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(idiomatic) Done or constructed in a hasty, approximate, temporarily adequate manner, but not exact, fully formed, or reliable for a long period of time.

I can do a quick-and-dirty market analysis in time for the meeting tomorrow.
Origin: The Oxford English Dictionary shows the first usage of this phrase in 1896 in the Boston Globe to describe a place to eat. The first use meaning "slipshod" was from 1939 in the gun-slinging, American Western fiction paperback, "Bounty Guns" by Luke Short. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"quick-and-dirty" means: Done or constructed in a hasty, approximate, temporarily adequate manner, but not exact, fully formed, or reliable for a long period of time.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"quick-and-dirty" means: Done or constructed in a hasty, approximate, temporarily adequate manner, but not exact, fully formed, or reliable for a long period of time.... Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

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#3·Apr 27, 2026

(US, slang) An inexpensive, inelegant eatery; a greasy spoon.

The car broke down but we managed to do a quick-and-dirty and were back on the road in fifteen minutes.
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