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oroboros commented on the word murphy's law
"Murphy's Law states that if anything can go wrong, it will. According to the USAF Flight Test Center History Office, Murphy's Law was born at Edwards AFB in 1949. It was named after Capt. Edward A. Murphy, an engineer working on a project for determining how much sudden deceleration a person can withstand in a crash..."
--Robert B. Laughlin, A Different Universe (Reinventing Physics From the Bottom Down), p. 225, note 14.
July 4, 2008
Prolagus commented on the word murphy's law
I read somewhere that in cartography the border of the map is sometimes called "Murphy's zone" because if you are there it's almost useless for orientation.
Oh, here is a complete description.
Edit: the link doesn't work anymore. You can read something similar here.
July 4, 2008
oroboros commented on the word murphy's law
Nice, Prolagus. Thanks! Interesting study.
July 4, 2008
Prolagus commented on the word murphy's law
That page just taught me the word dunderhead.
July 4, 2008
sionnach commented on the word murphy's law
Variations of Murphy's Law:
Anything that goes wrong will do so at the worst possible moment.
Nothing is as easy as it looks.
If several different things can go wrong, the one to do so will be that which causes the greatest damage.
A clean tie attracts the soup of the day.
No one is listening until you make a mistake.
The bag that breaks is the one with the eggs.
If something is confidential it will be left in the copier.
Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.
When the plane you are on is late, the one you want to transfer to is on time.
As soon as the stewardess serves the coffee, the plane encounters turbulence.
August 1, 2008
oroboros commented on the word murphy's law
A supplement to sionnach's variations via NPR's Says You:
~ Left to themselves things will always degenerate.
~ Nature always sides with the hidden flaw.
May 9, 2010
sionnach commented on the word murphy's law
The ideal resume will turn up one day after the position is filled.
The colder the X-ray table, the more of your body will be required on it.
One child is not enough, but two children are far too many.
No matter which way you go, it's uphill and against the wind.
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.
The hardness of the butter is directly proportional to the softness of the bread.
May 11, 2010
ruzuzu commented on the word murphy's law
If Murphy's Law can go wrong, it will.
May 11, 2010