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back-of-the-envelope

Approximate, rough, simplified, especially of a calculation, estimation or other reasoning.

Etymology:

  • From the idea that the calculation or reasoning would be jotted down on any available scrap of paper such as the actual back of an envelope.
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Do some back-of-the-envelope calculations before all the facts come in.

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Submitted on July 10, 2018

Additional definitions for 'back-of-the-envelope':

back-of-the-envelopeApproximate, rough, simplified.
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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to back-of-the-envelope

break the back ofback-to-backback to the wallbreak one's backback-to-backback-asswardbehind somebody's backback-cloth starbounce backbring backback waterback-burnerbreak one's backback up

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    "back-of-the-envelope." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/back-of-the-envelope_25213>.

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