frobnicate

frobnicate

/frob'ni-kayt/ (Possibly from frobnitz, and usuallyabbreviated to frob, but "frobnicate" is recognised as theofficial full form). To manipulate or adjust, to tweak.One frequently frobs bits or other 2-state devices. Thus:"Please frob the light switch" (that is, flip it), but also"Stop frobbing that clasp; you'll break it". One also seesthe construction "to frob a frob".

Usage: frob, twiddle, and tweak sometimes connote pointsalong a continuum. "Frob" connotes aimless manipulation;"twiddle" connotes gross manipulation, often a coarse searchfor a proper setting; "tweak" connotes fine-tuning. Ifsomeone is turning a knob on an oscilloscope, then if he'scarefully adjusting it, he is probably tweaking it; if he isjust turning it but looking at the screen, he is probablytwiddling it; but if he's just doing it because turning a knobis fun, he's frobbing it. The variant "frobnosticate" hasalso been reported.