jackleg

Incompetent but working

Jackleg describes someone who lacks proper training or skill, especially in a trade: a jackleg carpenter, a jackleg mechanic.

The word implies incompetence, corner-cutting, or dishonesty—someone operating without proper credentials or qualifications.

As a noun, a jackleg is such a person.

The term is chiefly American and somewhat old-fashioned, with Southern and rural associations.

untrained

amateur

Nonprofessional participant

  • noviceInexperienced newcomer to field
  • greenhornInexperienced, gullible newcomer
  • rookieInexperienced newcomer

apprentice · self-taught · unlicensed · uncertified · unschooled · inexperienced · untutored · nonprofessional · layman · dilettante

incompetent

amateurish

Lacking professional skill

  • bunglingMishandling through incompetence
  • ineptLacking skill or competence
  • clumsyLacking physical coordination

unqualified · unprofessional · ineffective · blundering · maladroit · ham-handed · shoddy · careless · slipshod · fumbling

makeshift

jury-rigged

Temporarily fixed with scraps

  • cobbledSurfaced with rounded stones
  • patchedRepaired with covering material
  • kludgedClumsily cobbled together

bodged · thrown-together · rigged · stopgap · temporary · band-aid · patchwork · crude · rough-and-ready · seat-of-the-pants

Opposites
competence and skill

jacklegmaster

Authority or controller

expert · virtuoso · ace · maestro · craftsman

professional legitimacy

jacklegprofessional

Credentialed in one's field

certified · credentialed · qualified · accredited · registered

ethical conduct

jackleglegitimate

Conforming to accepted standards

reputable · honest · scrupulous · aboveboard · trustworthy

Family

jack, bootleg, jackhammer, dogleg, blackleg, jackknife, bowlegged, jackscrew

Familiarity
Top 1,000,000
Profile
Mostly American · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G