ramshackle

First attested 1830, back-formation from ramshackled, from ransackled, past participle of ransackle (“to ransack”), frequentative of Middle English ransaken (“to pillage”).

• enPR: rămʹshăk'əl, IPA^(key): /ˈɹæmˌʃæk.əl/

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ramshackle (comparative more ramshackle, superlative most ramshackle)

1. In disrepair or disorder; poorly maintained; lacking upkeep, usually of buildings or vehicles.
   • Thackeray

     There came […] my lord the cardinal, in his ramshackle coach.

   • 1914, David Lloyd George

     A ramshackle old empire. (of Austria-Hungary).

   • 2012 September 7, Dominic Fifield, “England start World Cup campaign with five-goal romp against Moldova”, in The Guardian‎:

     So ramshackle was the locals' attempt at defence that, with energetic wingers pouring into the space behind panicked full-backs and centre-halves dizzied by England's movement, it was cruel to behold at times. The contest did not extend beyond the half-hour mark.

   They stayed in a ramshackle cabin on the beach.

   He entered the ramshackle bus, and was driven a long distance through very sandy streets to the hotel on the St. Lawrence.

• (in disrepair or disorder): See Thesaurus:ramshackle

ramshackle (third-person singular simple present ramshackles, present participle ramshackling, simple past and past participle ramshackled)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To ransack.