nuke
/n[y]ook/ 1. To intentionally delete the entire contents of a given directory or
storage volume. "On Unix, "rm -r /usr" will nuke everything in the usr file
system." Never used for accidental deletion. Opposite: blow away.
2. Synonym for dike, applied to smaller things such as files, features, or code
sections. Often used to express a final verdict. "What do you want me to do with
that 80-meg wallpaper file?" "Nuke it."
3. Used of processes as well as files; nuke is a frequent verbal alias for "kill
-9" on Unix.
4. On IBM PCs, a bug that results in fandango on core can trash the operating
system, including the FAT (the in-core copy of the disk block chaining
information). This can utterly scramble attached disks, which are then said to
have been "nuked". This term is also used of analogous lossages on Macintoshes
and other micros without memory protection.
[Jargon File]
Nearby terms:
nu-calculus « NUCLEOL « nude « nuke » null »
nullary » null modem
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