close enough for government work

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Good enough. Though only barely. Like Government-commissioned work, done to the bare minimum.

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close enough for government work (not comparable)

1. (US, idiomatic, humorous, derogatory) Adequate: acceptable as government work, imperfect but not worth the time nor effort of improving.
2. (Canada, idiomatic, humorous) Acceptable: equivalent to government work, neither worse nor better.

• See Thesaurus:satisfactory