computer

Definitions

1. noun

   An electronic machine that stores and works with information.

   Examples

   • I spend about six hours a day at the computer.
   • She bought a new computer for school.
   ≈'puter≈box
2. noun

   In the past, a person whose job was to do calculations.

   Examples

   • Before machines took over, a computer was a person who did calculations.
   • The observatory hired several computers to chart the stars by hand.
   ≈computator≈mental calculator≈human calculator
3. noun

   In the past, a man whose job was to do calculations.

   Examples

   • Old records separated male computers from female ones.
   • The staff included both male and female computers.
   ≈computator≈mental calculator≈human calculator
4. verb

   In informal use, to work on a computer.

   Examples

   • I spent all afternoon computering on my new laptop.
   • She has been computering since she got home from school.
5. verb

   In informal use, to send something by computer.

   Examples

   • The office computered the report to every branch.
   • The alert was computered to every station within minutes.
6. verb

   To put information onto a computer.

   Examples

   • Thanks to the assistant who spent weeks computering the manuscript.
   • A team had to computer the text before it was published.