word
French
Tourniquet
A drastic stop-gap that prevents immediate collapse without solving the underlying problem.
Origin
A band tightened around a limb to stop arterial bleeding. The modern medical device dates to the 17th century. Battlefield tourniquets save lives but, if left on too long, cost limbs โ a trade-off baked into the metaphor.
Modern usage
Used for any short-term fix that buys time. 'The funding round was a tourniquet, not a cure.'
Tags
stop-gap
emergency