Schrödinger's

See also: Schrodinger's

English

Alternative forms

• Schrodinger's

Etymology

Back-formation from Schrödinger's cat, named after the scientist Erwin Schrödinger.

Adjective

Schrödinger's (not comparable)

1. (humorous) Indicates something or someone whose current state is unknown, mixed or depends on some future action.

   My husband packed the hamper, so until we get to the park, this is Schrödinger's picnic.

   • 2003, K. Driscoll et al., “Byzantine Fault Tolerance: from Theory to Reality”, in Computer Safety, Reliability, and Security Proceedings, page 240:

     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.

   • 2009, Stef Hall, “Bach, Beethoven, Mozart”, in The Rhinoceros and His Thoughts, page 37:

     While it spun, suspended in freefall, it was all things and nothing, a Schrodinger's coin of possibilities.

   • 2011 July 18, Pete Langman, “Chavs, sluts and the war of words”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     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?

   • 2011 October 13, “The Russian Rocket Reaction”, in The Big Bang Theory:

     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.

   • 2013, Michael R. Underwood, Cerebromancy:

     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.

   • 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:

     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.