Definitions

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  • adjective Alternative spelling of handwavy.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • It all hangs together, and if I think that the ending is probably a little optimistic (and the science a little hand-wavy), that's hardly the worst sin in a piece of literature.

    REVIEW: The Devil's Alphabet by Daryl Gregory 2009

  • They might just be familiar with the most hand-wavy parts of it.

    The Research Readers Don’t See « 2009

  • Decision theory (some might call it applied probability theory as logic) provides all the tools we need, hand-wavy calls for action based on vague appeals to a precautionary principle are a step backwards for science-based decision support.

    Uncertainties and challenges in climate science | Serendipity 2010

  • Zippers are given a slightly hand-wavy treatment, but since there are roughly one gazillion zipper tutorials floating around the web, I don't think that's a problem.

    Built By Wendy: Dresses - A Dress A Day 2010

  • Zippers are given a slightly hand-wavy treatment, but since there are roughly one gazillion zipper tutorials floating around the web, I don't think that's a problem.

    February 2010 2010

  • Which if you assume approximate parity between men and women and no repeat victims given the hand-wavy nature of this exercise, including the fact that we're relying on men admitting that they raped people in the first place, would suggest that about 12% of the population, men and women, would have been raped by self-reported rapists.

    The Great Rape Conspiracy tithenai 2010

  • Not sure what hand-wavy means--I'm sure you'll be kind enough to explain it to me.

    Science is a subset of thinking doyle 2009

  • That seems sort of hand-wavy to me. "just need to leave high school prepped for calculus", for example, is a condition that's typically only satisfied for students who've been pushed in that direction for an early age.

    Science is a subset of thinking doyle 2009

  • I like this guy more and more; now, I want to read the book, given his self-deprecation in the following comment: As a kid reading science fiction, I was always fascinated with parallel universe situations: situations where someone gets jumped into another universe that's similar to ours, with a hand-wavy, pseudo-physics explanation for how it happened.

    Two views ... Frank Wilson 2008

  • I wanted to come up with my own hand-wavy, pseudo-physics explanation.

    Two views ... Frank Wilson 2008

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