noun
definition
Any program which compares two files or sets of files and outputs a description of the differences between them.
definition
The output of a diff program. A diff file.
definition
A difficult route.
verb
definition
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.
definition
To compare two files or other objects, manually or otherwise.
proper noun
definition
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.
noun
definition
The quality of being different.
example
You need to learn to be more tolerant of difference.
definition
A characteristic of something that makes it different from something else.
example
There are three differences between these two pictures.
definition
A disagreement or argument.
example
We have our little differences, but we are firm friends.
definition
Significant change in or effect on a situation or state.
example
It just won't make much difference to me.
definition
The result of a subtraction; sometimes the absolute value of this result.
example
The difference between 3 and 21 is 18.
definition
Choice; preference.
definition
An addition to a coat of arms to distinguish two people's bearings which would otherwise be the same. See augmentation and cadency.
definition
The quality or attribute which is added to those of the genus to constitute a species; a differentia.
definition
(logic circuits) A Boolean operation which is TRUE when the two input variables are different but is otherwise FALSE; the XOR operation (\scriptstyle A \overline B + \overline A B).
definition
(relational algebra) the set of elements that are in one set but not another (\scriptstyle A \overline B).
noun
definition
The differential gear in an automobile etc
definition
A qualitative or quantitative difference between similar or comparable things
definition
An infinitesimal change in a variable, or the result of differentiation
definition
One of two coils of conducting wire so related to one another or to a magnet or armature common to both, that one coil produces polar action contrary to that of the other.
definition
A form of conductor used for dividing and distributing the current to a series of electric lamps so as to maintain equal action in all.
Examples of diff in a Sentence
Mind you, the people doing the previews do as well, so it doesn't make any diff.
This box was built for a turbo and has a limited slip diff which really makes a difference in the wet.
The script should perform a check using diff to confirm that the copy has been successful.
Will made a perfect run, coping admirably with the 180 turns even without the benefit of a limited slip diff.
The breather pipe on the front diff was only about 4 inches long so we replaced it with a 5ft length.
Ian had the wrong diff in, but couldn't be bothered to change it, whilst Robin was feeling his way back in.
If the input was a normal diff, many of the contexts are simply null.
Your patch file should be generated using either ' diff -c ' or ' diff -c ' or ' diff -u ' against the latest CVS tree.
Your patch file should be generated using either ' diff -c ' or ' diff -u ' against the latest CVS tree.
Diff lock - A device that locks the diff lock - A device that locks the differential for maximum traction in adverse conditions.
Gary Coleman was a child actor who became a household name as Arnold Jackson on the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes.
The context diff header takes precedence over an Index line.
If supplied, diff (x, k ), where k is a nonnegative integer, returns the k -th differences.
With a prefix argument, displays the plain ` diff ' output.
They stripped it during the afternoon and found the planet wheels had seized onto the shaft, effectively locking the diff!
All you need to do is boot from another media, rinse, repeat, and run a diff on the two files.
Grab a copy of bbc.co.uk/news every 5 mins, do a diff, then save the index if there's been a change.
This patch has a diff suffix, what means it's a diff output.