close enough for government work
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
(Redirected from good enough for government work)
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
The phrase was created in World War II with the usage meaning that a product met the highest standards of quality and would not be accepted by Uncle Sam if it did not. [1] The phrase was used as early as 1906 in Canada with the usage being neither disparaging nor better than non-government work.[2]. It was used disparagingly as early as 1960[3].
Adjective[edit]
close enough for government work
- (idiomatic, humorous, pejorative, slang) Good enough; not worth the time or effort of perfecting.
