gimcrack

• adj. 华而不实的；廉价的
• n. 小玩意；华而不实之物

1. tastelessly showy;

"a flash car"

"a flashy ring"

"garish colors"

"a gaudy costume"

"loud sport shirts"

"a meretricious yet stylish book"

"tawdry ornaments"

词源不详，可能来自拟声词。gim, 沙沙作响，crack,破裂声。即金属装饰片哗啦作响的声音，花里胡哨的，引申义劣质的。

gimcrack (n.)

"trifle, knick-knack," by c. 1820, earlier "mechanical contrivance" (1630s), originally "showy person" (1610s), of uncertain origin. Perhaps an alteration of Middle English gibecrake, the name of some kind of ornament on wooden furniture (mid-14c.), which is perhaps from Old French giber "to rattle, shake" + some special sense of Middle English crak "sharp noise, crack." In 18c.-19c. gimcrack also could mean "person who has a turn for mechanical contrivances."