@Setanta,
Setanta wrote:
That's an almost opaque passage; i wonder if it had been written by a native speaker of English. Perhaps what the author meant was "illusory," i.e., something imagined rather than real.
elusory
Also found in: Legal
elusory [ɪˈluːsərɪ]
adj
1. avoiding the issue; evasive elusory arguments
2. difficult to grasp mentally; elusive elusory ideas
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e·lu·sive
un elusory pronunciation [ih-loo-siv]
adjective
1.
eluding clear perception or complete mental grasp; hard to express or define: an elusive concept.
2.
cleverly or skillfully evasive: a fish too elusive to catch.
Also, e·lu·so·ry un elusory pronunciation [ih-loo-suh-ree, -zuh-] .
Origin:
1710–20; elus(ion) + -ive
Related forms
e·lu·sive·ly, adverb
e·lu·sive·ness, noun
non·e·lu·sive, adjective
non·e·lu·sive·ly, adverb
non·e·lu·sive·ness, noun
EXPAND
Can be confused: elusive, illusory.