— boondoggler , n.
/boohn"dog'euhl, -daw'geuhl/ , n. , v. , boondoggled, boondoggling .
n.
1. a product of simple manual skill, as a plaited leather cord for the neck or a knife sheath, made typically by a camper or a scout.
2. work of little or no value done merely to keep or look busy.
3. a project funded by the federal government out of political favoritism that is of no real value to the community or the nation.
v.t.
4. to deceive or attempt to deceive: to boondoggle investors into a low-interest scheme.
v.i.
5. to do work of little or no practical value merely to keep or look busy.
[ 1930-35, Amer.; said to have been coined by R. H. Link, American scoutmaster, as name for def. 1 ]