obstruse/abstruse, calculating, calculated, enthalpy, calculated risk

Asking Whether Copland's Abstruse Works are the Exception or the Rule

By WILLIAM ROBIN

This question will be raised once more on Wednesday, when Michael Tilson Thomas leads the San Francisco Symphony in a triptych of his thornier works at Carnegie Hall.

Wildfires, Once Confined to a Season, Burn Earlier and Longer

By MATT RICHTEL and FERNANDA SANTOS

Increasingly, fire crews are making calculated decisions to let blazes consume the land, concentrating their efforts on safeguarding communities and watersheds.

enthalpy

(Symbol H), pl. -pies. 焓

A thermodynamic function of a system, equivalent to the sum of the internal energy of the system plus the product of its volume multiplied by the pressure exerted on it by its surroundings.

[Greek enthalpein, to heat in (en-, in; see en–² + thalpein, to heat) + –Y².]

obstruse

Pronunciation: /əbˈstruːs/ 

ADJECTIVE

= abstruse.

abstruse 

Pronunciation: /əbˈstruːs/ 

ADJECTIVE

Difficult to understand; obscure:an abstruse philosophical inquiry

More example sentencesSynonyms

Derivatives

abstrusely

Pronunciation: /əbˈstruːsli/ 

ADVERB

Example sentences

abstruseness

Pronunciation: /əbˈstruːsnəs/ 

NOUN

Example sentences

Origin

Late 16th century: from Latin abstrusus 'put away, hidden', from abstrudere 'conceal', fromab- 'from' + trudere 'to push'.

en・thal・py

━━ n. 【物】エンタルピー.

The bond energy in a biochemical reaction.

Wikipedia article "Enthalpy".

In thermodynamics and molecular chemistry, the enthalpy or heat content (denoted as H or ΔH, or rarely as χ) is a quotient or description of thermodynamic potential of a system, which can be used to calculate the "useful" work obtainable from a closed thermodynamic system under constant pressure.

The term enthalpy is composed of the prefix en-, meaning to "put into", plus the Greek word -thalpein, meaning "to heat", although the original definition is thought to have stemmed from the word, "enthalpos" (ἐνθάλπος).^[1] It is often calculated as a differential sum, describing the changes within exo- and endothermic reactions, which minimize at equilibrium.

calculating

(kăl'kyə-lā'tĭng)

adj.

1. Capable of performing calculations: a calculating machine.
2. 1. Shrewd; crafty: the calculating defense of an experienced attorney.
   2. Coldly scheming or conniving.

calculatingly cal'cu·lat'ing·ly adv.

calculated

(kăl'kyə-lā'tĭd)

adj.

1. Determined by mathematical calculation.
2. Undertaken after careful estimation of the likely outcome: took a calculated risk.
3. Made or planned to accomplish a certain purpose; deliberate: insincere, calculated modesty.
4. Likely; apt.

calculatedly cal'cu·lat'ed·ly adv.


a risk that you consider worth taking because the result, if it is successful, will be so good:

calculate
verb [T]
to judge the number or amount of something by using the information that you already have, and adding, multiplying, subtracting or dividing numbers:
The cost of the damage caused by the recent storms has been calculated as/at over £5 million.
The new tax system would be calculated on the value of property owned by an individual.
[+ question word] At some stage we need to calculate when the project will be finished.
[+ that] He's calculated that it would take him two years to save up enough for a car.

calculation
noun [C or U]
The calculations that you did/made contained a few inaccuracies.

calculator
noun [C]
a small electronic device which is used for doing calculations:
a pocket calculator