indent

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: indentationindentionindenturedent

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

  1. an order for goods to be exported or imported
  2. the space left between the margin and the start of an indented lineSynonyms: indentationindentionindenture

Verb (5)

  1. set in from the margin“Indent the paragraphs of a letter”
  2. cut or tear along an irregular line so that the parts can later be matched for authentication“indent the documents”
  3. make a depression into“The bicycle dented my car”Synonyms: dent
  4. notch the edge of or make jagged
  5. bind by or as if by indentures, as of an apprentice or servant“an indentured servant”Synonyms: indenture
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Indent \In*dent"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Indented; p. pr. & vb. n. Indenting.] [OE. endenten to notch, fit in, OF. endenter, LL. indentare, fr. L. in + dens, dentis, tooth. See Tooth, and cf. Indenture.] [1913 Webster]

1.To notch; to jag; to cut into points like a row of teeth; as, to indent the edge of paper. [1913 Webster]

2.To dent; to stamp or to press in; to impress; as, indent a smooth surface with a hammer; to indent wax with a stamp. [1913 Webster]

3.[Cf. Indenture.] To bind out by indenture or contract; to indenture; to apprentice; as, to indent a young man to a shoemaker; to indent a servant. [1913 Webster]

4.(Print.) To begin (a line or lines) at a greater or less distance from the margin; as, to indent the first line of a paragraph one em; to indent the second paragraph two ems more than the first. See Indentation, and Indention. [1913 Webster]

5.(Mil.) To make an order upon; to draw upon, as for military stores. [India] --Wilhelm. [1913 Webster]

Indent \In*dent"\, v. i.

1.To be cut, notched, or dented. [1913 Webster]

2.To crook or turn; to wind in and out; to zigzag. [1913 Webster]

3.To contract; to bargain or covenant. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

To indent and drive bargains with the Almighty.— South.[1913 Webster]
Indent \In*dent"\, n.

1.A cut or notch in the margin of anything, or a recess like a notch. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2.A stamp; an impression. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

3.A certificate, or intended certificate, issued by the government of the United States at the close of the Revolution, for the principal or interest of the public debt. --D. Ramsay. A. Hamilton. [1913 Webster]

4.(Mil.) A requisition or order for supplies, sent to the commissariat of an army. [India] --Wilhelm. [1913 Webster]

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

indentation indent

<text, programming> Space and/or tab characters added at the beginning of a line to indicate structure, e.g. indenting a quotation to make it stand out or indenting a block of code controlled by an if statement.

Indentation is important in source code for readability. There are a number of different indent styles. Some programming languages go further and use indentation as the main method to represent block structure to the compiler or interpreter, see off-side rule.

(2008-10-23)

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