punch card

P p

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [puhnch kahrd]
- /pʌntʃ kɑrd/
- /pʌntʃ kɑːd/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [puhnch kahrd]
- /pʌntʃ kɑrd/

Definitions of punch card words

abbreviation Technical meaning of PUNCH CARD punched card 3
noun punch card a card having holes punched in specific positions and patterns so as to represent data to be stored or processed mechanically, electrically, or photoelectrically. 1
noun punch card card storing data by means of punched holes 1
noun Definition of punch card in Technology (storage, history) (Or "punch card") The signature medium of computing's Stone Age, now long obsolete outside of a few legacy systems. The punched card actually predates computers considerably, originating in 1801 as a control device for Jacquard looms. Charles Babbage used them as a data and program storage medium for his Analytical Engine: "To those who are acquainted with the principles of the Jacquard loom, and who are also familiar with analytical formulæ, a general idea of the means by which the Engine executes its operations may be obtained without much difficulty. In the Exhibition of 1862 there were many splendid examples of such looms. [...] These patterns are then sent to a peculiar artist, who, by means of a certain machine, punches holes in a set of pasteboard cards in such a manner that when those cards are placed in a Jacquard loom, it will then weave upon its produce the exact pattern designed by the artist. [...] The analogy of the Analytical Engine with this well-known process is nearly perfect. There are therefore two sets of cards, the first to direct the nature of the operations to be performed -- these are called operation cards: the other to direct the particular variables on which those cards are required to operate -- these latter are called variable cards. Now the symbol of each variable or constant, is placed at the top of a column capable of containing any required number of digits." -- from Chapter 8 of Charles Babbage's "Passages from the Life of a Philosopher", 1864. The version patented by Herman Hollerith and used with mechanical tabulating machines in the 1890 US Census was a piece of cardboard about 90 mm by 215 mm. There is a widespread myth that it was designed to fit in the currency trays used for that era's larger dollar bills, but recent investigations have falsified this. The 80-column width of most character terminals is a legacy of the IBM punched card; so is the size of the quick-reference cards distributed with many varieties of computers even today. See chad, chad box, eighty-column mind, green card, dusty deck, lace card, card walloper. 1
noun punch card a card with holes positioned in it for interpretation by an automatic data-processing machine or for quick mechanical selection 0

See all 5 definitions of punch card

Information block about the term

Origin of punch card

First appearance:

before 1940

One of the 7% newest English words

First recorded in 1940-45

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Punch card

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Punch card

punch card popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 43% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.

According to our data about 58% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.

punch card usage trend in Literature

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