frobnicate
/
frob '
ni -
kayt / (
Possibly from {
frobnitz },
and usually
abbreviated to {
frob },
but "
frobnicate "
is recognised as the
official full form ).
To manipulate or adjust ,
to {
tweak }.
One frequently frobs bits or other 2 -
state devices .
Thus :
"
Please frob the light switch " (
that is ,
flip it ),
but also
"
Stop frobbing that clasp ;
you '
ll break it ".
One also sees
the construction "
to frob a frob ".
Usage :
frob , {
twiddle },
and {
tweak }
sometimes connote points
along a continuum . "
Frob "
connotes aimless manipulation ;
"
twiddle "
connotes gross manipulation ,
often a coarse search
for a proper setting ; "
tweak "
connotes fine -
tuning .
If
someone is turning a knob on an oscilloscope ,
then if he '
s
carefully adjusting it ,
he is probably tweaking it ;
if he is
just turning it but looking at the screen ,
he is probably
twiddling it ;
but if he '
s just doing it because turning a knob
is fun ,
he '
s frobbing it .
The variant "
frobnosticate "
has
also been reported .
(
1994 -
12 -
16 )
frobnicate : /
frob ´
ni ·
kayt /,
vt . [
Poss .
derived from frobnitz ,
and usually abbreviated to frob ,
but frobnicate is recognized as the official full form .:]
To manipulate or adjust ,
to tweak .
One frequently frobs bits or other 2 -
state devices .
Thus : “
Please frob the light switch ”
(
that is ,
flip it ),
but also “
Stop frobbing that clasp ;
you '
ll break it ”.
One also sees the construction to frob a frob .
See tweak and twiddle .
Usage :
frob ,
twiddle ,
and tweak sometimes connote points along a continuum . ‘
Frob ’
connotes aimless manipulation ;
twiddle connotes gross manipulation ,
often a coarse search for a proper setting ;
tweak connotes fine -
tuning .
If someone is turning a knob on an oscilloscope ,
then if he '
s carefully adjusting it ,
he is probably tweaking it ;
if he is just turning it but looking at the screen ,
he is probably twiddling it ;
but if he '
s just doing it because turning a knob is fun ,
he '
s frobbing it .
The variant frobnosticate has been recently reported .
安装中文字典英文字典查询工具! 中文字典英文字典工具:
复制到剪贴板
英文字典中文字典相关资料:
Andy Serwer - Barrons Stock Market News From Aug. 21, 2025: Dow, S P 500, Nasdaq Down . . . Yahoo Adds Sustainability Company Data - Barrons Markets | Barrons Barrons | Financial and Investment News Josh Schafer - Barrons IBM Stock Jumps After Strong Earnings Results - Barrons Soleno Stock Soars on $2. 9 Billion Neurocrine Buyout. Its Hunger Drug . . . Oracle’s New CFO Is ‘Built for Capex. ’ What Hilary . . . - Barrons 8 Stocks to Buy After Trump’s Historic $1. 5 Trillion Defense Request