Hand waving意思
"Hand waving" is an English expression that means to dismiss or minimize something with a casual gesture or by waving one's hand. It often implies a lack of seriousness or a dismissive attitude towards a topic or issue. The gesture itself is non-verbal and can be used to indicate that something is not important or to change the subject.
In a more metaphorical sense, "hand waving" can also refer to arguments or explanations that are vague or overly simplistic, lacking in detail or substance. In academic or scientific contexts, it might imply that a claim or theory is being presented without sufficient evidence or reasoning.
Here are a few examples of how "hand waving" might be used in different contexts:
- "Whenever I brought up the issue of safety, he just did some hand waving and changed the subject."
- "The professor accused the student of hand waving when he tried to explain his theory without providing any data."
- "Don't just do hand waving; give me a real reason why we shouldn't consider this option."
- "Politicians are often accused of hand waving when they make promises without detailing how they plan to achieve them."
The expression is somewhat informal and can convey a sense of frustration or impatience with the dismissive behavior or argument.