"Schrödinger's" meaning in English

{
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Schrödinger's cat"
      },
      "expansion": "Back-formation from Schrödinger's cat",
      "name": "back-form"
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  ],
  "etymology_text": "Back-formation from Schrödinger's cat, named after the scientist Erwin Schrödinger.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
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      "expansion": "Schrödinger's (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
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          "name": "English back-formations",
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          "source": "w"
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      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "My husband packed the hamper, so until we get to the park, this is Schrödinger's picnic.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2003, K. Driscoll et al., “Byzantine Fault Tolerance: from Theory to Reality”, in Computer Safety, Reliability, and Security Proceedings, page 240:",
          "text": "To further illustrate the Byzantine propagation capability, one can envision a \"Schrödinger's CRC\" similar to the \"Copenhagen\" misinterpretation of \"Schrödinger's Cat\" where the CRC is simultaneously correct for any interpretation of Byzantine data.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2009, Stef Hall, “Bach, Beethoven, Mozart”, in The Rhinoceros and His Thoughts, page 37:",
          "text": "While it spun, suspended in freefall, it was all things and nothing, a Schrodinger's coin of possibilities.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011 July 18, Pete Langman, “Chavs, sluts and the war of words”, in The Guardian:",
          "text": "Currently, the word slut is marching its way into its own mutation, and the OED definition is perhaps no longer sufficient. The question is this: when a word is undergoing a metamorphosis, where is its power? Until the battle over its meaning is won, what does it actually mean? Does it exist in a superposition of states, both positive and pejorative? Schrödinger's slut, anyone?",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011 October 13, “The Russian Rocket Reaction”, in The Big Bang Theory:",
          "text": "Until you either do not go or go to Wil Wheaton’s party, you are simultaneously my friend and not my friend. I’m characterizing this phenomenon as Schrödinger's Friendship.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Michael R. Underwood, Cerebromancy:",
          "text": "So let's just go have dinner and see what happens. It's not like a Schrodinger's date with a movie star would be more dangerous than chasing were-suited monsters down alleyways, fighting off feral gnomes with a tanto, or dogfighting through high-rises while desperately trying not to look down.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2014, Jess Winfield, “Re-revising Shakespeare”, in Shakespeare and Me: 38 Great Writers, Actors, and Directors on What the Bard Means to Them – and Us, page 193:",
          "text": "For one private performance only, however, we changed our onstage response to Adam's half-dressed state: “It's Schrödinger's costume change!” I said.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Indicates something or someone whose current state is unknown, mixed or depends on some future action."
      ],
      "id": "en-Schrödinger's-en-adj-r3-xgN0r",
      "links": [
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(humorous) Indicates something or someone whose current state is unknown, mixed or depends on some future action."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "Schrodinger's"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "Schrödinger's"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Schrödinger's cat"
      },
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    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Back-formation from Schrödinger's cat, named after the scientist Erwin Schrödinger.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Schrödinger's (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
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    {
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      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "My husband packed the hamper, so until we get to the park, this is Schrödinger's picnic.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2003, K. Driscoll et al., “Byzantine Fault Tolerance: from Theory to Reality”, in Computer Safety, Reliability, and Security Proceedings, page 240:",
          "text": "To further illustrate the Byzantine propagation capability, one can envision a \"Schrödinger's CRC\" similar to the \"Copenhagen\" misinterpretation of \"Schrödinger's Cat\" where the CRC is simultaneously correct for any interpretation of Byzantine data.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2009, Stef Hall, “Bach, Beethoven, Mozart”, in The Rhinoceros and His Thoughts, page 37:",
          "text": "While it spun, suspended in freefall, it was all things and nothing, a Schrodinger's coin of possibilities.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011 July 18, Pete Langman, “Chavs, sluts and the war of words”, in The Guardian:",
          "text": "Currently, the word slut is marching its way into its own mutation, and the OED definition is perhaps no longer sufficient. The question is this: when a word is undergoing a metamorphosis, where is its power? Until the battle over its meaning is won, what does it actually mean? Does it exist in a superposition of states, both positive and pejorative? Schrödinger's slut, anyone?",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011 October 13, “The Russian Rocket Reaction”, in The Big Bang Theory:",
          "text": "Until you either do not go or go to Wil Wheaton’s party, you are simultaneously my friend and not my friend. I’m characterizing this phenomenon as Schrödinger's Friendship.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Michael R. Underwood, Cerebromancy:",
          "text": "So let's just go have dinner and see what happens. It's not like a Schrodinger's date with a movie star would be more dangerous than chasing were-suited monsters down alleyways, fighting off feral gnomes with a tanto, or dogfighting through high-rises while desperately trying not to look down.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2014, Jess Winfield, “Re-revising Shakespeare”, in Shakespeare and Me: 38 Great Writers, Actors, and Directors on What the Bard Means to Them – and Us, page 193:",
          "text": "For one private performance only, however, we changed our onstage response to Adam's half-dressed state: “It's Schrödinger's costume change!” I said.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Indicates something or someone whose current state is unknown, mixed or depends on some future action."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "humorous",
          "humorous"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(humorous) Indicates something or someone whose current state is unknown, mixed or depends on some future action."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "Schrodinger's"
    }
  ],
  "word": "Schrödinger's"
}