hand waving

See also: handwaving and hand-waving

English

Pronunciation

  • Audio (General Australian):(file)

Noun

hand waving (plural hand wavings)

  1. (idiomatic) Discussion or argumentation involving approximation, vagueness, educated guessing, or the attempt to explain or excuse vagaries.
    Alternative forms: hand-waving, handwaving
    The sales pitch sounded good, but there was a lot of hand waving about the price.
    • 2000 August 21, “letter”, in Time:
      Protesters who demand that this brilliantly humane enterprise be stopped should have their motives questioned. Their protest is nothing but the mindless hand waving of Luddites.

Translations