The Bootstrap Paradox is a theoretical paradox of time travel that occurs when an object or piece of information sent back in time becomes trapped within an infinite cause-effect loop in which the item no longer has a discernible point of origin, and is said to be “uncaused” or “self-created”.

A time traveller who was a big fan of Beethoven goes back in time to 18th century Germany to search for Beethoven for an autograph. Upon reaching the destination, the time traveller cannot find Beethoven anywhere, not even Beethoven's family have heard of him. Not being able to bear the thought of a world without Beethoven's music, the time traveller coincidently has all of Beethoven's sheet music, he copies it up and publishes it. The time traveller has become Beethoven and the timeline resumes as usual, this is what we call a Bootstrap Paradox.

Bootstrap Paradox by Driptual November 17, 2019

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Bootstrapium

What you earn by working hard for success like all your favorite Billionaire crushes tell you to.

Keep mining for bootstrapium, serfs

Blackrock's forever rentals won't build themselves

Bootstrapium by Cerebrex April 13, 2022

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Bootstrapping

The action of lifting yourself out of poverty through sheer skill and force of will. It is about as plausible as the name suggests.

More billionaires exist now than ever before. If we all started bootstrapping, every American could become a billionaire!

Bootstrapping by Sitbear April 9, 2021

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bootstrap

(v.) to cause a system (usually a computer system) to build itself; to build something complex by giving a simple instruction. From the concept of "pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps."

That virus crashed (def. 6) my Solaris box (def. 8), so I had to bootstrap it from the CD.

bootstrap by heikediguoren September 14, 2006

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briefcake

A handsome male lawyer.

"Did you check out the briefcake in courtroom C?"

briefcake by Ben Frey April 6, 2006

Word of the Day on November 3, 2026

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Ratfucker

Brought to public attention by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in the book on the fall of Richard Nixon, All The President’s Men, ratfucker was Nixon’s term for a political operative who sows chaos among opponents; an agent provocateur. It is thought to have originated among campus political rivalries at USC, and seems to have some usage in the US military.

Along with Nixon’s other ratfuckers, Roger Stone caused fights at otherwise peaceful Democratic Party protests to generate a false narrative that the Democrats were violent and dangerous.

Ratfucker by Ricky Ramjet November 2, 2017

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countrypolitan

Term used to describe someone who is a mix of both rural (country) and urban (metropolitan) lifestyles/upbringings. He/she is typically equally comfortable in both settings and is able to seamlessly slip back and forth between the two, appreciating the characteristics of each.

That ol' gal of mine drives the 12 lane freeway during the week and a John Deere on the weekends. She likes opra and the Grand Ol' Opry. I love them countrypolitan women.

countrypolitan by MOChick November 7, 2006

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Witch Bath

A bath consisting of a variety of slats, oils, soaps or any other added ingredients such as fruits, milks, herbs or any other spices for health or beautifying benifits.

She brought home alot of stuff and took it to the bathroom. She must be taking a witch bath.

Witch Bath by carnieboy30 October 26, 2020

Word of the Day on October 31, 2026