band-aid

pos>n. [ from a Trademark. ] An adhesive bandage, composed of a short ribbon of cloth or plastic with an adhesive coating on one side, and having a patch of gauze at the center. It is used to cover small cuts, abrasions, or blisters on the skin, and may be easily applied to and removed from the skin with no additional material. Originally a trademark, the term has been popularly used generically. [ trademark ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. A hurried repair; a temporary fix for a minor problem. The term has been used metaphorically to mean an ineffective cosmetic solution, when used on a serious problem.
Syn. -- quick fix, quickie, quicky. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]