Meaning of underpants gnome | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Someone who makes incomplete plans with missing steps; someone who plans unsuccessfully.
   derogatory, slang
2. A plan with missing steps; an incomplete plan.
   attributive, derogatory, slang

Examples

“2. ? 3. Profit! Do you think⟳ their plan⟳ is missing something? They know⟳ Success in Programming 53 There Is No Try⟳ It's a Question⟳ of Passion Don't Plan⟳ Like⟳ an Underpants Gnome.”

“... an underpants gnome! Any time you read⟳ an inspiring news story, watch⟳ a YouTube video of somebody doing something amazing, or read⟳ a book like⟳ this one that encourages you to make⟳ changes in your life, you are collecting underpants.”

“Don't be an underpants gnome. Have⟳ a clear Step Two. You clearly need⟳ to make⟳ some profit, to be financially stable during your retirement, and you know⟳ how to do something, if only how to collect⟳ underpants. And you may have⟳ some more ...”

“Like⟳ the rest⟳ of Trump World, Page brought a kind of Underpants Gnome theory to his bromance with Team Putin. Through some unknown alchemy, he expected to benefit Trump and gain⟳ influence⟳ and profit from his Russia foray.”

“[…] is the Underpants Gnome theory of politics. It doesn't work⟳. What works is a move⟳ from A to B, not A to Q to G to T to X to B. In 2008, desperate to reset a flailing campaign and find⟳ some way, any way, to interrupt⟳ the narrative […]”

CEFR level