make-believe contraption
nounUK /ˈmeɪk bɪˌliːv kənˈtræpʃən/
US /ˈmeɪk bɪˌliːv kənˈtræpʃən/
A pretend machine that you imagine and build just for fun.
The kids built a make-believe contraption out of cardboard boxes and called it a spaceship.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A complicated-looking device that seems real but does not actually work.
The prop department made a make-believe contraption that looked like a time machine.
3. A silly or overly complex plan that exists only in someone's imagination.
His scheme to clean his room with a make-believe contraption never worked.
4. A playful creation children pretend is a real machine during games.
She turned a laundry basket into a make-believe contraption for catching dragons.