suitably small

<jargon, mathematics>

(From mathematical jargon) An expression used ironically to characterise unquantifiable behaviour that differs from expected or required behaviour. For example, suppose a newly created program came up with a correct full-screen display, and one publicly exclaimed: "It works!" Then, if the program dumped core on the first mouse click, one might add: "Well, for suitably small values of `works'."

Compare the characterisation of pi under for values of.

[Jargon File]

Last updated: 1997-09-21

Nearby terms:

suit ♦ suitably small ♦ Suite Synthetique des Benchmarks de l'AFUU

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