fubar

[foo-bahr] /ˈfuˌbɑr/

adjective, Slang.

not working; completely messed up; bungled; confused.

British Dictionary definitions for fubar

fubar

/ˈfʊːbɑː/

adjective

(slang) irreparably damaged or bungled

Word Origin

C20: acronym for f(ucked) u(p) b(eyond) a(ll) r(epair)

Word Origin and History for fubar

adj.

by 1944, acronym from fucked up beyond all recognition. Said to be military slang originally.

Slang definitions & phrases for fubar

fubar

adjective

Totally botched and confused; snafu

[WWII armed forces; fr fucked up beyond all recognition] fubb adj FUBAR, SNAFU [WWII armed forces; fr fucked up beyond belief] fubis (FOO bis) sentence An irritated or defiant comment [1950s+ Army; fr fuck you, buddy, I'm shipping]

fubar in Technology

1. (WWII military slang) Fucked up beyond all recognition (or repair).
See foobar.
2. The Failed UniBus Address Register in a VAX. A good example of how jargon can occasionally be snuck past the suits.
Larry Robinson reports the following nonstandard use for FUBAR:
One day somebody got mad at the card reader (or card eater that day) on our Univac 3200. He taped a sign, "This thing is FUBAR", on the metal weight that sits on the stack of unread cards. The sign stayed there for over a year. One day, somebody said, "Don't forget to put the fubar on top of the stack". It stuck! We called that weight the fubar until they took away the machine. The replacement card reader had two spring loaded card clamps, one for the feed and one for the return, and we called THOSE fubars until we dumped punch cards.
Incidently, the way he taped the sign on the weight made up for the lack of a little nylon piece that was missing from it, and fixed the card reader. That's why the sign stayed there.
[Jargon File]
(1997-03-18)

Related Abbreviations for fubar

fubar

fouled (or fucked) up beyond all reality (or recognition or repair)