The reverse situation occurs when the arguments are already in a list or tuple but need to be unpacked for a function call requiring separate positional arguments. For instance, the built-in range() function expects separate start and stop arguments. If they are not available separately, write the function call with the *-operator to unpack the arguments out of a list or tuple:

>>>

>>> list(range(3, 6))            # normal call with separate arguments

[3, 4, 5]

>>> args = [3, 6]

>>> list(range(*args))            # call with arguments unpacked from a list

[3, 4, 5]

In the same fashion, dictionaries can deliver keyword arguments with the **-operator:

>>>

>>> def parrot(voltage, state='a stiff', action='voom'):

...     print("-- This parrot wouldn't", action, end=' ')

...     print("if you put", voltage, "volts through it.", end=' ')

...     print("E's", state, "!")

...

>>> d = {"voltage": "four million", "state": "bleedin' demised", "action": "VOOM"}

>>> parrot(**d)

-- This parrot wouldn't VOOM if you put four million volts through it. E's bleedin' demised !