Although "optimum" is an absolute term, like "unique", it became common verbal practice to make it relative: "not quite optimum" or "less optimum" or "not very optimum". Mel called the maximum time-delay locations the "most pessimum".
https://users.cs.utah.edu/~elb/folklore/mel-annotated/node1....
Verbing weirds language.
https://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1993/01/25
Although "optimum" is an absolute term, like "unique", it became common verbal practice to make it relative: "not quite optimum" or "less optimum" or "not very optimum". Mel called the maximum time-delay locations the "most pessimum".
https://users.cs.utah.edu/~elb/folklore/mel-annotated/node1....