Dictionary

hand-waving en · ADJ

Meanings

1. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative spelling of handwaving.
   alt of handwaving
   • You, me and everything in the universe are holograms. This may seem very vague and hand-waving. However, in 1998, the Argentinean-American physicist Juan Maldacena published a paper that shored up the idea that we live in a ‘holographic universe’ and set the world of physics alight. 2018, Marcus Chown, Infinity in the Palm of Your Hand […] , Michael O'Mara Books, →ISBN:
   • For years much of this has been explained with hand-waving references to body types and metabolism—broadly accurate, but cold comfort to the estimated 61% of Americans who are overweight or obese and want to have their weight controlled, not merely explained. 2001 January 15, Jeffrey Kluger, “Obesity”, in Time:

Forms

hand-waving en · NOUN

Meanings

1. (alt-of, alternative, uncountable) Alternative spelling of hand waving.
   alt of hand waving
   • So when we're discussing thought and conscious processes, talking about minds is precise, and even measurable (what else do public opinion pollsters do?) while talking about brains is just hand-waving. 2011 June 17, Andrew Brown, “Minds, brains and woo”, in The Guardian:

hand-waving en · VERB

Meanings

1. (form-of, gerund, participle, present) present participle and gerund of hand-wave
   form of hand-wave