Browsing page 7 of new words for August 14, 2009
G
Godwin's Law 
noun - uncountable
- an Internet "Law" (i.e. observation that often holds true) formulated by Mike Godwin. It states that "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 100%."
I think that was an intentional invocation of Godwin's Law, so it doesn't really count.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
Last edited on Jan 11 2012. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
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Google juice
noun - uncountable
- a metaphorical substance that increases a website's rankings in Google search results. Links pass on "Google juice" from the website on which the link appears, to the website where the link goes. Links from large, important websites pass on more "Google juice" than links from small, unknown websites.
The New York Times' website has more Google juice than KEXP's website.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
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gorilla arm
noun
- an arm that has become sore, cramped, and / or muscular due to extended use of touch screens on computing devices.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
Last edited on Nov 10 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
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grep
verb - ambitransitive
- in a non-computing context, to search.
Could you grep the menu for something vegan while I go to the bathroom?
This definition is questionable and is pending deletion. It will be saved from deletion if legitimate citations are found.- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to search.
Last edited on May 01 2013. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
- in a computing context, to search "manually" - i.e. by looking rather than using a computer program specifically intended for searching.
I like GUIs because I can grep them visually for what I'm looking for.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to search.
Last edited on Nov 10 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Nov 10 2011.
origin
- From the name of a Unix utility used to scan files in search of particular content. ("Grep" itself means "global regular expression print".)
Last edited on May 01 2013. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
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grok
verb - transitive
- to understand or comprehend on a very deep, fundamental level.
I totally grok the theory of relativity.
My boss groks C++.
Citation from "Arthur, Interrupted", The Tick (TV), Season 1 Episode 1 (2002) blacked out to resolve Google's penalty against this site.Last edited on Oct 14 2011. Submitted by Jon R. from Denver, CO, USA on Dec 09 1998.
- used of computer programs, to be able to handle.
Not many web browsers grok Gopher any more.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
origin
- From Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. For more information, see the Wikipedia article for the novel.
Last edited on Jul 10 2010. Submitted by Jay C. from Los Angeles, CA, USA on Feb 12 2003.
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guiltware
noun - uncountable
- shareware that uses guilt to encourage users to pay the "registration" cost. Also see nagware.
It's a good piece of software, but it's guiltware.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
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H
hack
noun
- an untalented professional.
He's just some consulting hack.
I love my husband, but he's a hack.
- See more words with the same meaning: bad, poor, sucks, common, generally displeasing.
- See more words with the same meaning: business (related to).
Last edited on Apr 23 2013. Submitted by Ed from Melbourne, VIC, Australia on Nov 10 1999.
- a cough.
That's quite a hack you've got there.
- See more words with the same meaning: to cough.
Last edited on Mar 23 2002. Submitted by Amie on Mar 23 2002.
- an untalented golfer.
He is not a good golfer, he is a hack.
- See more words with the same meaning: bad, poor, sucks, common, generally displeasing.
- See more words with the same meaning: sports (related to).
Last edited on Aug 19 2002. Submitted by George G. from Târgovişte, Romania on Aug 19 2002.
- a quick solution that solves a problem, but does not solve it particularly well, or in a particularly good way.
Yeah, it's working now, but I just did a hack.
- See more words with the same meaning: bad, poor, sucks, common, generally displeasing.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to accomplish, work hard.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
- a prank or practical joke. Popularized at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT.)
Last edited on Oct 21 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Jan 11 2010.
- an unlicensed taxicab driver.
Last edited on Nov 07 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Nov 07 2011.
verb - ambitransitive
- to work on a computer programming or computer software problem.
Person A: What have you been up to?
Person B: Just hasking Haskell.I'm going to hack for a bit then get something to eat.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to accomplish, work hard.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
verb - intransitive
- to play with a Hacky Sack (footbag.)
You got the Hackysack? Let's go hack.
- See more words with the same meaning: sports (related to).
Last edited on May 16 2011. Submitted by Emily M. from UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA on Jan 13 1998.
- to cough.
Don't hack all over the place - cover your mouth!
- See more words with the same meaning: to cough.
Last edited on Oct 21 2010. Submitted by Amie on Mar 23 2002.
- to explore the problem-solving capabilities of a computer and its software.
I didn't get a lot accomplished this weekend. Just did some hacking.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to accomplish, work hard.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
- to operate an unlicensed taxicab.
Last edited on Nov 07 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Nov 07 2011.
verb - transitive
- to withstand.
I can't hack this.
- See more words with the same meaning: to accept insults.
Last edited on Dec 16 2010. Submitted by Nimesh P. from UK on Feb 05 2002.
- to use a particular computing technology.
I haven't hacked Lisp in a few years.
Last edited on Oct 21 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Jan 11 2010.
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hacked up
adjective
- a system that was created by hacking it up over time. Note that creating a system by hacking it is different than creating a system by hacking it up.
- See more words with the same meaning: bad, poor, sucks, common, generally displeasing.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
Last edited on Nov 10 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
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hacker
noun
- while "hacker" originally had positive connotations, it has since come to refer to individuals who sometimes use computers with malicious intent. For example, a person who breaks into computers that they do not have official access to.
Citation from "Reeling in the hackers", The Irish Times, Karlin Lillington, February 19 2010 blacked out to resolve Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from Communications of the ACM, Volume 27 (1984) blacked out to resolve Google's penalty against this site.Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by Charles B. from Westminster, CO, USA on Jun 16 1999.
- an expert or enthusiast of any kind, provided it involves hands-on work.
She calls herself a "culinary hacker."
- See more words with the same meaning: an expert, a fan.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Aug 14 2009.
- a person who is very good at programming.
Citation from Communications of the ACM, Volume 27 (1984) blacked out to resolve Google's penalty against this site.Last edited on Nov 04 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
- a person who enjoys exploring computers, making them work better than ever before, and making them solve problems that they've never solved before.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
- a person who enjoys creatively overcoming or circumventing limitations.
He's a pretty good padlock hacker.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
- a person who is an expert at a particular computer program or computing technology.
You should ask Tim. He's a real MATLAB hacker.
I'm trying to become a well-known C++ hacker.
- See more words with the same meaning: an expert, a fan.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
- a person who frequently does work on a computer, using a particular computer program.
He's a Unix hacker.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 15 2009.
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hackish
adjective
- a hack or involving a hack. (Both in the "poor solution" sense.)
My solution is kind of hackish, but it will work for now.
- See more words with the same meaning: bad, poor, sucks, common, generally displeasing.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
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