bucket of bolts

English

Pronunciation

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Noun

bucket of bolts (plural buckets of bolts)

1. (idiomatic, slang) A piece of machinery that is not worth more than its scrap value, often an old car.
   • 2005, Sharyn McCrumb St. Dale, page 141

     On the outside, the Trans-Am still looked like a rusty bucket of bolts, but if all his little adjustments kicked in as planned, the thing should take off like a rocket.

Synonyms

• rattletrap
• rustbucket

Translations

machinery that is not worth more than its scrap value

• French: tas de ferraille (fr) /lit: scrap metal heap/
• Italian: scarcassone
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: ведро́ с га́йками (vedró s gájkami) /lit: bucket of nuts/

See also

• piece of crap, POS