con ‧ trap ‧ tion /kənˈtræpʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: Perhaps from contrivance + trap + invention ]
a piece of equipment or machinery that looks funny, strange, and unlikely to work well:
a bizarre contraption
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THESAURUS
▪ machine a piece of equipment with moving parts that uses power such as electricity to do a particular job:
a washing machine
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an X-ray machine
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Staff are trained to operate the machine.
▪ appliance formal a machine or piece of electrical equipment, usually a large one, that people use in the home:
The store sells kitchen appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and toasters.
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We carry out repairs on a range of household appliances.
▪ device a piece of equipment, usually a small electronic one, that does a special job:
electronic listening devices
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50,000 people downloaded the music to computers or portable devices such as iPods.
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The device is fitted to the car and can detect stationary objects ahead.
▪ gadget a small, useful, and cleverly-designed tool or machine:
high-tech gadgets
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He buys all the latest gadgets.
▪ contraption a machine or piece of equipment that looks strange or complicated:
There was a bizarre contraption for polishing the floor.