Talk:outcome

RFV discussion: August 2015–January 2016
Rfv-sense "A positive result or consequence."

I can't think of any circumstance where it would specifically mean a positive result ("poor outcome", "negative outcome" and "bad outcome" are all common colocations), but I'm ready to be surprised. Smurrayinchester (talk) 14:29, 31 August 2015 (UTC)
 * I suppose if someone says "What an outcome!" that would imply a positive result. In fact I note result gives us a circular definition ("A positive or favourable outcome"). Not sure I agree with either def. Keith the Koala (talk) 16:35, 31 August 2015 (UTC)
 * "Result" meaning "positive outcome" I can see: you might say a doctor "tried various medicines to cure the patient, each time without result", when you mean each time the result was 'no change' (the medicine didn't cure the illness). I'm not familiar with "outcome" being used that way. - -sche (discuss) 18:37, 31 August 2015 (UTC)
 * In the UK, "result!" on its own implies a favorable outcome. It's informal, I'd use it like "I got her number before I left. Result!". Renard Migrant (talk) 14:26, 1 September 2015 (UTC)
 * As far as I know, 'positive' is not inherently part of the definition. There may be times when 'positive' can be assumed from the context, but that comes from the context (the sentence, paragraph or even several paragraphs) not the single word 'outcome'. Renard Migrant (talk) 17:32, 4 September 2015 (UTC)


 * RFV failed. —Mr. Granger (talk • contribs) 18:49, 24 January 2016 (UTC)