hand waving
Glossing over details
Hand waving is the dismissive gesture of waving one's hand to brush something aside—and by extension, any attempt to gloss over difficulties or skip past crucial details.
In technical and academic contexts, hand waving describes vague explanations that lack rigor: The proof involves some hand waving at the critical step.
Someone accused of hand waving is substituting confident gestures for actual substance.
Also spelled as one word or hyphenated.
Departing salutation
- partingAct of leaving another
- departureAct of going away
- adieuFormal leave-taking
- send-offFarewell gathering or party
bon voyage · leave-taking · valediction · sayonara · au revoir · adios · see you · so long
Abrupt, curt rejection
- handwaveDismissive evasion of explanation
- glossing overSuperficially covering faults
- downplayDiminish perceived importance
- minimizeReduce to smallest extent
trivialize · disregard · overlook · ignore · scoff · pooh-pooh · shrug off · discount
Common spoken greeting
- hiInformal spoken salutation
- welcomeHospitable greeting offered
- saluteGestural sign of honor
- acknowledgmentConfirmation of receipt
namaste · howdy · shalom · aloha · bonjour · hola · ciao · salaam
Conveying information nonverbally
- beckoningGesturing for approach
- summoningCalling forth deliberately
- flagging downSignaling to stop
- hailingCalling to attract attention
motioning · gesturing · indicating · alerting · noticing · cab · taxi · waiter
Vocal encouragement given
- applauseCollective hand-clapping approval
- enthusiasmIntense eager enjoyment
- excitementState of eager enthusiasm
- encouragementSupport spurring continued effort
support · stadium · concert · rally · parade · fans · audience · spirit
goodbye
Departing salutation
send-off · bon voyage · leave-taking · valediction · sayonara · au revoir · adios · see you · so long · platform
brushoff
Abrupt, curt rejection
- handwaveDismissive evasion of explanation
- glossing overSuperficially covering faults
- downplayDiminish perceived importance
minimize · trivialize · disregard · overlook · ignore · scoff · pooh-pooh · shrug off · discount · belittle
hello
Common spoken greeting
acknowledgment · namaste · howdy · shalom · aloha · bonjour · hola · ciao · salaam · ahoy
signaling
Conveying information nonverbally
- beckoningGesturing for approach
- summoningCalling forth deliberately
- flagging downSignaling to stop
hailing · motioning · gesturing · indicating · alerting · noticing · cab · taxi · waiter · lifeguard
cheering
Vocal encouragement given
- applauseCollective hand-clapping approval
- enthusiasmIntense eager enjoyment
- excitementState of eager enthusiasm
encouragement · support · stadium · concert · rally · parade · fans · audience · spirit · energy
- behaviorshabit, aggressive, agitation, conduct, passive
- body languagegestures, facial expressions, posture, nodding, pointing
- evasionevasion, avoiding, avoids, evade, dodging
- fidgetingfidgeting, fidget, tapping, fiddle, finger tapping
- condescensionpatronizing, belittling, talking down, talk down, superiority
- ritual gesturesgenuflect, genuflection, prostration, bowing, kneeling
hand wavingmathematical proof
Logical demonstration of truth
logical proof · deductive reasoning · formal logic · empirical verification · due diligence
hand wavingchapter and verse
Exact documented source details
exactitude · specificity · nuts and bolts · fine print · nitty-gritty
hand wavingdeep dive
Comprehensive examination of topic
meat and potatoes · brass tacks · nitty-gritty · close reading
hand, waving, hands, handed, handing, handy, handily, handiness, handful