ENGLISH
REFERENCE

shim

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈʃɪm// UK //ʃˈɪm// shim Informal Vulgar

n. a small, thin piece of material used to fill a gap or make something fit better. In computing, it can also mean a small program that helps two different software programs work together.

n. a thin piece of material used to fill a gap or adjust the fit of components. In a software context, refers to a small program that acts as an interface between two incompatible systems or libraries.


SIMPLE

The mechanic used a metal shim to level the wheel.

CONTEXTUAL

To fix the wobbly table, the carpenter inserted a wooden shim between the leg and the floor.

COMPLEX

The developer created a compatibility shim to allow the legacy application to communicate with the new cloud-based API without requiring a complete rewrite of the source code.

Etymology 1

Unknown; from Kent. Originally a piece of iron attached to a plow; sense of “thin piece of wood” from 1723, sense of “thin piece of material used for alignment or support” from 1860.

Etymology 2

Blend of she + him.

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