Printer Friendly
The Free Dictionary
1,074,771,975 visitors served.
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

Optimism

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia 0.02 sec.
Optimism
See also Hope.
Bontemps, Roger
personification of cheery contentment. [Fr. Lit.: “Roger Bontemps” in Walsh Modern, 66]
Candide
beset by inconceivable misfortunes, hero indifferently shrugs them off. [Fr. Lit.: Candide]
Micawber, Mr.
sanguine gentleman, constantly “waiting for something to turn up.” [Br. Lit.: David Copperfield
Pangloss, Dr.
Candide’s incurably optimistic tutor. [Fr. Lit.: Candide]
Pollyanna
always finds something to be glad about. [Am. Lit.: Pollyanna; Am. Cinema: Pollyanna in Disney Films, 170–172]
optimism - What a programmer is full of after fixing the last bug and just before actually discovering the *next* last bug. Fred Brooks's book "The Mythical Man-Month" contains the following paragraph that describes this extremely well.

All programmers are optimists. Perhaps this modern sorcery especially attracts those who believe in happy endings and fairy god-mothers. Perhaps the hundreds of nitty frustrations drive away all but those who habitually focus on the end goal. Perhaps it is merely that computers are young, programmers are younger, and the young are always optimists. But however the selection process works, the result is indisputable: "This time it will surely run," or "I just found the last bug.".

See also Lubarsky's Law of Cybernetic Entomology.


How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
 Email
Feedback
? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
But Anne, with her elbows on the window sill, her soft cheek laid against her clasped hands, and her eyes filled with visions, looked out unheedingly across city roof and spire to that glorious dome of sunset sky and wove her dreams of a possible future from the golden tissue of youth's own optimism.
Anne Of Green Gables by Montgomery, Lucy Maud View in context
He had, already, accompanied his master on several journeys, and had a smattering of science appropriate to his condition and style of mind, but he was especially remarkable for a sort of mild philosophy, a charming turn of optimism.
Five Weeks in a Balloon by Verne, Jules View in context
A large faith he might seem to have in what is called "natural optimism," the beauty and benignity of nature, if let alone, in her mechanical round of changes with man and beast and flower.
The Guardian by Pater, Walter Horatio View in context
More results
 
Encyclopedia browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Encyclopedia
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2008 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.. Terms of Use.