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magic
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magic /adj./ 1. As yet unexplained, or too complicated to
explain; compare automagically and (Arthur C.) Clarke's Third
Law: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable
from magic." "TTY echoing is controlled by a large number of
magic bits." "This routine magically computes the parity of an
8-bit byte in three instructions." 2. Characteristic of something
that works although no one really understands why (this is
especially called black magic). 3. [Stanford] A feature not
generally publicized that allows something otherwise impossible, or
a feature formerly in that category but now unveiled. Compare
black magic, wizardly, deep magic, heavy
wizardry.
For more about hackish `magic', see A Story About `Magic'
in Appendix A.
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