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Diff vs Alter - What's the difference?

diff | alter |

As a noun diff

is (slang).

As a verb diff

is (computing) to run a diff program on (files or items) so as to produce a description of the differences between them, as for a patch file.

As a proper noun diff

is (computing) a program, historically part of the unix operating system, which compares two files or sets of files and outputs a description of the differences between them.

As an adjective alter is

.

diff

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (slang)
  • A peach and an apricot? What's the diff ?
  • (computing) Any program which compares two files or sets of files and outputs a description of the differences between them.
  • (computing) The output of a diff program. A diff file.
  • * 2004 , , Great Hackers , Essay:
  • I didn't want to waste people's time telling them things they already knew. It's more efficient just to give them the diffs .
  • (medicine) : differential of types of white blood cell in a complete blood count.
  • (slang)
  • (rock climbing) A difficult route.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • (computing) To run a diff program on (files or items) so as to produce a description of the differences between them, as for a patch file.
  • (computing) To compare two files or other objects, manually or otherwise.
  • Proper noun

    (en proper noun)
  • (computing) A program, historically part of the Unix operating system, which compares two files or sets of files and outputs a description of the differences between them.
  • See also

    * (computing ) patch

    alter

    English

    Alternative forms

    * altre (obsolete)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To change the form or structure of.
  • * Bible, Psalms lxxxix. 34
  • My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
  • * Shakespeare
  • No power in Venice can alter a decree.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • It gilds all objects, but it alters none.
  • To become different.
  • To tailor clothes to make them fit.
  • To castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).
  • (obsolete) To agitate; to affect mentally.
  • (Milton)

    Derived terms

    * alterer * alterability * alterative * alterable * alterably

    Anagrams

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