|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) |
handwave
/hand'wayv/
[poss. from gestures characteristic of stage magicians]
1. v. To gloss over a complex point; to distract a listener; to support a
(possibly actually valid) point with blatantly faulty logic.
2. n. The act of handwaving. ?Boy, what a handwave!?
If someone starts a sentence with ?Clearly...? or ?Obviously...? or ?It is
self-evident that...?, it is a good bet he is about to handwave
(alternatively, use of these constructions in a sarcastic tone before a
paraphrase of someone else's argument suggests that it is a handwave). The
theory behind this term is that if you wave your hands at the right moment,
the listener may be sufficiently distracted to not notice that what you
have said is bogus. Failing that, if a listener does object, you might
try to dismiss the objection with a wave of your hand.
The use of this word is often accompanied by gestures: both hands up, palms
forward, swinging the hands in a vertical plane pivoting at the elbows and/
or shoulders (depending on the magnitude of the handwave); alternatively,
holding the forearms in one position while rotating the hands at the wrist
to make them flutter. In context, the gestures alone can suffice as a
remark; if a speaker makes an outrageously unsupported assumption, you
might simply wave your hands in this way, as an accusation, far more
eloquent than words could express, that his logic is faulty.
|
2. The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018) |
handwave
[possibly from gestures characteristic of stage magicians] To
gloss over a complex point; to distract a listener; to support
a (possibly actually valid) point with blatantly faulty logic.
If someone starts a sentence with "Clearly..." or
"Obviously..." or "It is self-evident that...", it is a good
bet he is about to handwave (alternatively, use of these
constructions in a sarcastic tone before a paraphrase of
someone else's argument suggests that it is a handwave). The
theory behind this term is that if you wave your hands at the
right moment, the listener may be sufficiently distracted to
not notice that what you have said is wrong. Failing that, if
a listener does object, you might try to dismiss the objection
with a wave of your hand.
The use of this word is often accompanied by gestures: both
hands up, palms forward, swinging the hands in a vertical
plane pivoting at the elbows and/or shoulders (depending on
the magnitude of the handwave); alternatively, holding the
forearms in one position while rotating the hands at the wrist
to make them flutter. In context, the gestures alone can
suffice as a remark; if a speaker makes an outrageously
unsupported assumption, you might simply wave your hands in
this way, as an accusation, far more eloquent than words could
express, that his logic is faulty.
[Jargon File]
|
|
|
|
|
Common Misspellings > |
handwave ahandwave ahndwave hahndwave andwave hhandwave hnadwave hanadwave hndwave haandwave hadnwave handnwave hadwave hanndwave hanwdave handwdave hanwave handdwave handawve handwawve handave handwwave handwvae handwavae handwve handwaave handwaev handwavev handwae handwavve handwaeve handwav handwavee tandwave htandwave thandwave yandwave hyandwave yhandwave uandwave huandwave uhandwave gandwave hgandwave ghandwave jandwave hjandwave jhandwave bandwave hbandwave bhandwave nandwave hnandwave nhandwave mandwave hmandwave mhandwave andwave h andwave handwave hqndwave haqndwave hqandwave hwndwave hawndwave hwandwave hsndwave hasndwave hsandwave hxndwave haxndwave hxandwave hzndwave hazndwave hzandwave h ndwave ha ndwave h andwave hendwave hindwave hondwave hundwave hagdwave hangdwave hagndwave hahdwave hanhdwave hahndwave hajdwave hanjdwave hajndwave habdwave hanbdwave habndwave hamdwave hanmdwave hamndwave ha dwave han dwave ha ndwave hanwwave handwwave hanwdwave hanewave handewave hanedwave hanrwave handrwave hanrdwave hanswave handswave hansdwave hanfwave handfwave hanfdwave hanxwave handxwave hanxdwave hancwave handcwave hancdwave hanvwave handvwave hanvdwave han wave hand wave han dwave hand2ave handw2ave hand2wave hand@ave handw@ave hand@wave hand3ave handw3ave hand3wave handqave handwqave handqwave handeave handweave handewave handaave handwaave handawave handsave handwsave handswave handdave handwdave handdwave handwqve handwaqve handwqave handwwve handwawve handwwave handwsve handwasve handwsave handwxve handwaxve handwxave handwzve handwazve handwzave handw ve handwa ve handw ave handweve handwive handwove handwuve handwade handwavde handwadve handwafe handwavfe handwafve handwage handwavge handwagve handwace handwavce handwacve handwabe handwavbe handwabve handwa e handwav e handwa ve handwav3 handwave3 handwav3e handwav# handwave# handwav#e handwav4 handwave4 handwav4e handwavw handwavew handwavwe handwavr handwaver handwavre handwavs handwaves handwavse handwavd handwaved handwavde handwavf handwavef handwavfe handwava handwavi handwavo handwavu Definition commonly spelled as: Defanition or Defenition, Synonym as: Synonim, Sinonym or Sinonim, Thesaurus as: Thesorus or Thesauris, Dictionary as: Dictionery or Dictionry and Define is usually not misspelled. What does mispell meen? It Meens...
Full Map Index: Å Norway-Am Timan Chad |
Ama United States of America-Audon France |
Audouville-la-Hubert France-Baskil Turkey |
Baskin United States of America-Bindoy Philippines |
Bindoy Philippines-Breuilpont France |
Breukelen Netherlands-Campofelice di Fitalia Italy |
Campofelice di Roccella Italy-Champigny France |
Champigny-en-Beauce France-Colle San Magno Italy |
Colle Sannita Italy-Damulog Philippines |
Damurhuda Bangladesh-Duliāgaon India |
Duliajan No.1 India-Ethridge United States of America |
Étienville France-Frignano Italy |
Frignicourt France-Gouhenans France |
Gouillons France-Hasselbach Germany |
Hasselbach Germany-Hurlock United States of America |
Huron United States of America-Jovellanos Cuba |
Jovellar Philippines-Kirchzell Germany |
Kircubbin United Kingdom-La Gomera Guatemala |
La Gonfrière France-Le Hohwald France |
Le Hommet-dArthenay France-Loma de Gato Philippines |
Loma de Juárez Mexico-Mālpur India |
Mālpura India-Memphis United States of America |
Memphis United States of America-Montería Colombia |
Monteriggioni Italy-Navalilla Spain |
Navalmanzano Spain-Noyelles-lès-Seclin France |
Noyelles-lès-Vermelles France-Pachelma Russia |
Pachgaon India-Piégut-Pluviers France |
Piekary Śląskie Poland-Prilep Macedonia |
Přílepy Czech Republic-Reuil-en-Brie France |
Reuilly France-Şag Romania |
Şag Romania-Saint-Puy France |
Saint-Python France-Santa Rita Panama |
Santa Rita Venezuela-Sewarhi India |
Sewen France-Sparbu Norway |
Spardorf Germany-Tamparan Philippines |
Tampayan Philippines-Tottington United Kingdom |
Tottleben Germany-Valdivia Chile |
Valdivia Colombia-Villeneuve-le-Roi France |
Villeneuve-lès-Avignon France-White City United States of America |
White City Canada-Żywiec Poland |
|
Most Popular Searches: Define Misanthrope, Define Pulchritudinous, Define Happy, Define Veracity, Define Cornucopia, Define Almuerzo, Define Atresic, Define URL, Definitions Of Words, Definition Of Get Up, Definition Of Quid Pro Quo, Definition Of Irreconcilable Differences, Definition Of Word, Synonyms of Repetitive, Synonym Dictionary, Synonym Antonyms. See our main index and map index for more details.
|
©2011-2024 ZebraWords.com - Define Yourself - The Search for Meanings and Meaning Means I Mean. All content subject to terms and conditions as set out here. Contact Us, peruse our Privacy Policy |
|