| posp. |
ideally; in the abstract; potentially (bookworm); technically (spy); in theoretical terms (MargeWebley); hypothetically (In a hypothetical manner or form; by or upon a hypothesis or supposition; conjecturally, supposedly; conditionally. 1665 Hooke Microgr. 67 Thus have I..endeavoured to explicate (Hypothetically at least) the causes of the Phænomena. 1698 Norris Pract. Disc. (1707) IV. 78 Both agree in this that God might Absolutely do it, and that Hypothetically he could not, i.e. supposing him to act consistently with the Moral Perfections of his Nature. 1789 Burke Corr. (1844) III. 113 In my present want of information I must only speak hypothetically. 1864 Bowen Logic viii. 266 Any Immediate Inference, also, may be stated hypothetically. OED. hypothetically, varying interpretations of the term are possible. NOED. Suppose, hypothetically, that you were offered a large sum of money in exchange for revealing company secrets. Would you accept the offer? We're just speaking hypothetically. MWALD. He was invariably willing to discuss the possibilities hypothetically... It bases its figures on what it might, hypothetically, be earning on past investment. CCB Alexander Demidov); mathematically (In the other games both players could mathematically qualify to play Carlsen, and the tension spilled over onto the board. SirReal); in theory; on paper |
