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mirror of https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/emacs.git synced 2025-01-11 16:08:13 +00:00

(Glossary): Updated for Emacs 21, with comments from Richard M. Stallman.

This commit is contained in:
Eli Zaretskii 2001-03-16 12:39:04 +00:00
parent abfa36c423
commit 08aa7220e8

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@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ key. Such characters are given names that start with @kbd{Alt-}
key labeled @key{ALT} which is really a @key{META} key.) @xref{User
Input, Alt}.
@item Argument
See `numeric argument.'
@item ASCII character
An ASCII character is either an ASCII control character or an ASCII
printing character. @xref{User Input}.
@ -45,6 +48,17 @@ Auto saving is the practice of saving the contents of an Emacs buffer in
a specially-named file, so that the information will not be lost if the
buffer is lost due to a system error or user error. @xref{Auto Save}.
@item Autoloading
Emacs automatically loads Lisp libraries when a Lisp program requests a
function or a variable from those libraries. This is called
`autoloading'. @xref{Lisp Libraries}.
@item Backtrace
A backtrace is a trace of a series of function calls showing how a
program arrived to a certain point. It is used mainly for finding and
correcting bugs (q.v.@:). Emacs can display a backtrace when it signals
an error or when you type @kbd{C-g} (see `quitting'). @xref{Checklist}.
@item Backup File
A backup file records the contents that a file had before the current
editing session. Emacs makes backup files automatically to help you
@ -57,6 +71,13 @@ balancing is done by the commands to move over balanced expressions
highlighting the parenthesis that matches one just inserted
(@pxref{Matching,,Matching Parens}).
@item Balloon Help
See `tooltips.'
@item Base Buffer
A base buffer is a buffer whose text is shared by an indirect buffer
(q.v.@:).
@item Bind
To bind a key sequence means to give it a binding (q.v.@:).
@xref{Rebinding}.
@ -72,11 +93,16 @@ all key sequences are recorded in the keymaps (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}.
Blank lines are lines that contain only whitespace. Emacs has several
commands for operating on the blank lines in the buffer.
@item Bookmark
Bookmarks are akin to registers (q.v.@:) in that they record positions
in buffers to which you can return later. Unlike registers, bookmark
persist between Emacs sessions.
@item Buffer
The buffer is the basic editing unit; one buffer corresponds to one text
being edited. You can have several buffers, but at any time you are
editing only one, the `current buffer,' though several can be visible
when you are using multiple windows (q.v.). Most buffers are visiting
when you are using multiple windows (q.v.@:). Most buffers are visiting
(q.v.@:) some file. @xref{Buffers}.
@item Buffer Selection History
@ -84,10 +110,19 @@ Emacs keeps a buffer selection history which records how recently each
Emacs buffer has been selected. This is used for choosing a buffer to
select. @xref{Buffers}.
@item Bug
A bug is an incorrect or unreasonable behavior of a program, or
inaccurate or confusing documentation. Emacs developers treat bug
reports, both in Emacs code and its documentation, very seriously and
ask you to report any bugs you find. @xref{Bugs}.
@item Button Down Event
A button down event is the kind of input event generated right away when
you press a mouse button. @xref{Mouse Buttons}.
@item By Default
See `default.'
@item @kbd{C-}
@kbd{C-} in the name of a character is an abbreviation for Control.
@xref{User Input,C-}.
@ -110,10 +145,20 @@ characters (though they may include other input events as well).
Emacs supports a number of character sets, each of which represents a
particular alphabet or script. @xref{International}.
@item Character Terminal
See `text-only terminal.'
@item Click Event
A click event is the kind of input event generated when you press a
mouse button and release it without moving the mouse. @xref{Mouse Buttons}.
@item Clipboard
A clipboard is a buffer provided by the window system for transferring
text between applications. On the X Window system, the clipboard is
provided in addition to the primary selection (q.v.@:); on MS-Windows,
the clipboard is used @emph{instead} of the primary selection.
@xref{Clipboard}.
@item Coding System
A coding system is an encoding for representing text characters in a
file or in a stream of information. Emacs has the ability to convert
@ -126,6 +171,9 @@ key binding in Emacs. When you type a key sequence (q.v.@:), its
binding (q.v.@:) is looked up in the relevant keymaps (q.v.@:) to find
the command to run. @xref{Commands}.
@item Command History
See `minibuffer history.'
@item Command Name
A command name is the name of a Lisp symbol which is a command
(@pxref{Commands}). You can invoke any command by its name using
@ -137,6 +185,11 @@ the program, and which is marked specially so that it will be ignored
when the program is loaded or compiled. Emacs offers special commands
for creating, aligning and killing comments. @xref{Comments}.
@item Common Lisp
Common Lisp is a dialect of Lisp (q.v.@:) much larger and more powerful
than Emacs Lisp. Emacs provides a subset of Common Lisp in the CL
package. @xref{, Common Lisp, , cl, Common Lisp Extensions}.
@item Compilation
Compilation is the process of creating an executable program from source
code. Emacs has commands for compiling files of Emacs Lisp code
@ -166,7 +219,7 @@ When a line of text is longer than the width of the window, it
takes up more than one screen line when displayed. We say that the
text line is continued, and all screen lines used for it after the
first are called continuation lines. @xref{Basic,Continuation,Basic
Editing}.
Editing}. A related Emacs feature is `filling' (q.v.@:).
@item Control Character
A control character is a character that you type by holding down the
@ -191,15 +244,17 @@ commands operate. You can select any Emacs buffer as the current one.
@xref{Buffers}.
@item Current Line
The line point is on (@pxref{Point}).
The current line is a line point is on (@pxref{Point}).
@item Current Paragraph
The paragraph that point is in. If point is between paragraphs, the
current paragraph is the one that follows point. @xref{Paragraphs}.
The current paragraph is the paragraph that point is in. If point is
between paragraphs, the current paragraph is the one that follows point.
@xref{Paragraphs}.
@item Current Defun
The defun (q.v.@:) that point is in. If point is between defuns, the
current defun is the one that follows point. @xref{Defuns}.
The current defun is a defun (q.v.@:) that point is in. If point is
between defuns, the current defun is the one that follows point.
@xref{Defuns}.
@item Cursor
The cursor is the rectangle on the screen which indicates the position
@ -213,15 +268,24 @@ Customization is making minor changes in the way Emacs works. It is
often done by setting variables (@pxref{Variables}) or by rebinding
key sequences (@pxref{Keymaps}).
@item Cut and Paste
See `killing' and `yanking.'
@item Default Argument
The default for an argument is the value that will be assumed if you
do not specify one. When the minibuffer is used to read an argument,
the default argument is used if you just type @key{RET}.
@xref{Minibuffer}.
@item Default
A default is the value that is used for a certain purpose if and when
you do not specify a value to use.
@item Default Directory
When you specify a file name that does not start with @samp{/} or @samp{~},
it is interpreted relative to the current buffer's default directory.
(On MS-Windows and MS-DOS, file names which start with a drive letter
@samp{@var{x}:} are treated as absolute, not relative.)
@xref{Minibuffer File,Default Directory}.
@item Defun
@ -266,7 +330,7 @@ confirmation. The usual reason for disabling a command is that it is
confusing for beginning users. @xref{Disabling}.
@item Down Event
Short for `button down event'.
Short for `button down event' (q.v.@:).
@item Drag Event
A drag event is the kind of input event generated when you press a mouse
@ -274,9 +338,9 @@ button, move the mouse, and then release the button. @xref{Mouse
Buttons}.
@item Dribble File
A file into which Emacs writes all the characters that the user types
on the keyboard. Dribble files are used to make a record for
debugging Emacs bugs. Emacs does not make a dribble file unless you
A dribble file is a file into which Emacs writes all the characters that
the user types on the keyboard. Dribble files are used to make a record
for debugging Emacs bugs. Emacs does not make a dribble file unless you
tell it to. @xref{Bugs}.
@item Echo Area
@ -292,11 +356,28 @@ longer key sequences echo only if you pause while typing them.
@item Electric
We say that a character is electric if it is normally self-inserting
(q.v.), but the current major mode (q.v.) redefines it to do something
(q.v.@:), but the current major mode (q.v.@:) redefines it to do something
else as well. For example, some programming language major modes define
particular delimiter characters to reindent the line or insert one or
more newlines in addition to self-insertion.
@item End Of Line
End of line is a character or characters which signal an end of a text
line. On GNU and Unix systems, this is a newline (.q.v.@:), but other
systems have other conventions. @xref{Coding Systems,end-of-line}.
Emacs can recognize several end-of-line conventions in files and convert
between them.
@item Environment Variable
An environment variable is one of a collection of variables stored by
the operating system, each one having a name and a value. Emacs can
access environment variables set by its parent shell, and it can set
variables in the environment it passes to programs it invokes.
@xref{Environment}.
@item EOL
See `end of line.'
@item Error
An error occurs when an Emacs command cannot execute in the current
circumstances. When an error occurs, execution of the command stops
@ -318,8 +399,16 @@ typed), you press the @key{ESC} key as you would press a letter key, and
it applies to the next character you type.
@item Expunging
Expunging an Rmail file or Dired buffer is an operation that truly
discards the messages or files you have previously flagged for deletion.
Expunging an Rmail file or Dired buffer or a Gnus newsgroup buffer is an
operation that truly discards the messages or files you have previously
flagged for deletion.
@item Face
A face is a style of displaying characters. It specifies attributes
such as font family and size, foreground and background colors,
underline and strike-through, background stipple, etc. Emacs provides
features to associate specific faces with portions of buffer text, in
order to display that text as specified by the face attributes.
@item File Locking
Emacs used file locking to notice when two different users
@ -331,10 +420,12 @@ or absolute; the meaning of a relative file name depends on the current
directory, but an absolute file name refers to the same file regardless
of which directory is current. On GNU and Unix systems, an absolute
file name starts with a slash (the root directory) or with @samp{~/} or
@samp{~@var{user}/} (a home directory).
@samp{~@var{user}/} (a home directory). On MS-Windows/MS-DOS, and
absolute file name can also start with a drive letter and a colon
@samp{@var{d}:}.
Some people use the term ``pathname'' for file names, but we do not;
we use the word ``path'' only in the term ``search path'' (q.v.).
we use the word ``path'' only in the term ``search path'' (q.v.@:).
@item File-Name Component
A file-name component names a file directly within a particular
@ -342,7 +433,8 @@ directory. On GNU and Unix systems, a file name is a sequence of
file-name components, separated by slashes. For example, @file{foo/bar}
is a file name containing two components, @samp{foo} and @samp{bar}; it
refers to the file named @samp{bar} in the directory named @samp{foo} in
the current directory.
the current directory. MS-DOS/MS-Windows file names can also use
backslashes to separate components, as in @file{foo\bar}.
@item Fill Prefix
The fill prefix is a string that should be expected at the beginning
@ -351,18 +443,44 @@ text to be filled. @xref{Filling}.
@item Filling
Filling text means shifting text between consecutive lines so that all
the lines are approximately the same length. @xref{Filling}.
the lines are approximately the same length. @xref{Filling}. Some
other editors call this feature `line wrapping.'
@item Font Lock
Font Lock is a mode that highlights parts of buffer text according to
its syntax. @xref{Font Lock}.
@item Fontset
A fontset is a named collection of fonts. A fontset specification lists
character sets and which font to use to display each of them. Fontsets
make it easy to change several fonts at once by specifying the name of a
fontset, rather than changing each font separately. @xref{Fontsets}.
@item Formatted Text
Formatted text is text that displays with formatting information while
you edit. Formatting information includes fonts, colors, and specified
margins. @xref{Formatted Text}.
@item Formfeed Character
See `page.'
@item Frame
A frame is a rectangular cluster of Emacs windows. Emacs starts out
with one frame, but you can create more. You can subdivide each frame
into Emacs windows (q.v.). When you are using a windowing system, all
the frames can be visible at the same time. @xref{Frames}.
into Emacs windows (q.v.@:). When you are using a windowing system, all
the frames can be visible at the same time. @xref{Frames}. Some
other editors use the term ``window'' for this, but in Emacs a window
means something else.
@item Fringe
On windowed displays, there's a narrow portion of the frame (q.v.@:)
between the text area and the window's border. Emacs displays the
fringe using a special face (q.v.@:) called @code{fringe}.
@xref{Faces,fringe}.
@item FTP
FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol. Emacs uses an FTP client
program to provide access to remote files (q.v.@:).
@item Function Key
A function key is a key on the keyboard that sends input but does not
@ -384,10 +502,10 @@ except when overridden by local key bindings in a major mode's local
keymap (q.v.@:). @xref{Keymaps}.
@item Global Mark Ring
The global mark ring records the series of buffers you have recently set
a mark in. In many cases you can use this to backtrack through buffers
you have been editing in, or in which you have found tags. @xref{Global
Mark Ring}.
The global mark ring records the series of buffers you have recently
set a mark (q.v.@:) in. In many cases you can use this to backtrack
through buffers you have been editing in, or in which you have found
tags (see `tags table'). @xref{Global Mark Ring}.
@item Global Substitution
Global substitution means replacing each occurrence of one string by
@ -420,6 +538,19 @@ listings of text in Emacs buffers. @xref{Hardcopy}.
@key{HELP} at any time to ask what options you have, or to ask what any
command does. @xref{Help}.
@item Help Echo
Help echo is a short message printed in the echo area when the mouse
pointer is located on portions of display that require some
explanations. Emacs displays help echo for menu items, parts of the
mode line, tool-bar buttons, etc. On graphics displays, the messages
can be displayed as tooltips (q.v.@:). @xref{Tooltips}.
@item Hook
A hook is a list of functions to be called on specific occasions, such
as saving a buffer in a file, major mode activation, etc. By
customizing the various hooks, you can modify Emacs's behavior without
changing any of its code. @xref{Hooks}.
@item Hyper
Hyper is the name of a modifier bit which a keyboard input character may
have. To make a character Hyper, type it while holding down the
@ -433,6 +564,10 @@ Rmail transfers mail from inboxes to Rmail files (q.v.@:) in which the
mail is then stored permanently or until explicitly deleted.
@xref{Rmail Inbox}.
@item Incremental Search
Emacs provides an incremental search facility, whereby Emacs searches
for the string as you type it. @xref{Incremental Search}.
@item Indentation
Indentation means blank space at the beginning of a line. Most
programming languages have conventions for using indentation to
@ -442,7 +577,11 @@ commands to adjust indentation.
@item Indirect Buffer
An indirect buffer is a buffer that shares the text of another buffer,
called its base buffer. @xref{Indirect Buffers}.
called its base buffer (q.v.@:). @xref{Indirect Buffers}.
@item Info
Info is the hypertext format used by the GNU project for writing
documentation.
@item Input Event
An input event represents, within Emacs, one action taken by the user on
@ -463,6 +602,9 @@ Interlocking is a feature for warning when you start to alter a file
that someone else is already editing. @xref{Interlocking,,Simultaneous
Editing}.
@item Isearch
See `incremental search.'
@item Justification
Justification means adding extra spaces to lines of text to make them
come exactly to a specified width. @xref{Filling,Justification}.
@ -500,7 +642,7 @@ yanked (q.v.@:) later. Some other systems call this ``cutting.''
Most Emacs commands to erase text do killing, as opposed to deletion
(q.v.@:). @xref{Killing}.
@item Killing Jobs
@item Killing a Job
Killing a job (such as, an invocation of Emacs) means making it cease
to exist. Any data within it, if not saved in a file, is lost.
@xref{Exiting}.
@ -511,6 +653,14 @@ method (q.v.@:) and coding system (q.v.@:). @xref{Language
Environments}. These defaults are relevant if you edit non-ASCII text
(@pxref{International}).
@item Line Wrapping
See `filling.'
@item Lisp
Lisp is a programming language. Most of Emacs is written in a dialect
of Lisp, called Emacs Lisp, that is extended with special features which
make it especially suitable for text editing tasks.
@item List
A list is, approximately, a text string beginning with an open
parenthesis and ending with the matching close parenthesis. In C mode
@ -581,7 +731,7 @@ all the text from point to the mark. Each buffer has its own mark.
@item Mark Ring
The mark ring is used to hold several recent previous locations of the
mark, just in case you want to move back to them. Each buffer has its
own mark ring; in addition, there is a single global mark ring (q.v.).
own mark ring; in addition, there is a single global mark ring (q.v.@:).
@xref{Mark Ring}.
@item Menu Bar
@ -620,10 +770,10 @@ or off independently of all other features. Each minor mode has a
command to turn it on or off. @xref{Minor Modes}.
@item Minor Mode Keymap
A keymap that belongs to a minor mode and is active when that mode is
enabled. Minor mode keymaps take precedence over the buffer's local
keymap, just as the local keymap takes precedence over the global
keymap. @xref{Keymaps}.
A minor mode keymap is a keymap that belongs to a minor mode and is
active when that mode is enabled. Minor mode keymaps take precedence
over the buffer's local keymap, just as the local keymap takes
precedence over the global keymap. @xref{Keymaps}.
@item Mode Line
The mode line is the line at the bottom of each window (q.v.@:), giving
@ -641,12 +791,12 @@ another. The usual way to move text by killing (q.v.@:) and then
yanking (q.v.@:). @xref{Killing}.
@item MULE
MULE refers to the Emacs features for editing non-ASCII text
MULE refers to the Emacs features for editing multilingual non-ASCII text
using multibyte characters (q.v.@:). @xref{International}.
@item Multibyte Character
A multibyte character is a character that takes up several buffer
positions. Emacs uses multibyte characters to represent non-ASCII text,
A multibyte character is a character that takes up several bytes in a
buffer. Emacs uses multibyte characters to represent non-ASCII text,
since the number of non-ASCII characters is much more than 256.
@xref{International Intro}.
@ -666,6 +816,12 @@ all. @xref{Narrowing}.
Control-J characters in the buffer terminate lines of text and are
therefore also called newlines. @xref{Text Characters,Newline}.
@cindex nil
@cindex t
@item @code{nil}
A value usually interpreted as a logical ``false.'' Its opposite
is @code{t}, interpreted as ``true.''
@item Numeric Argument
A numeric argument is a number, specified before a command, to change
the effect of the command. Often the numeric argument serves as a
@ -728,6 +884,10 @@ read an argument (@pxref{Minibuffer}); the echoing which happens when
you pause in the middle of typing a multi-character key sequence is also
a kind of prompting (@pxref{Echo Area}).
@item Query-Replace
An interactive string replacement feature provided by Emacs.
@xref{Query Replace}.
@item Quitting
Quitting means canceling a partially typed command or a running
command, using @kbd{C-g} (or @kbd{C-@key{BREAK}} on MS-DOS). @xref{Quitting}.
@ -780,13 +940,19 @@ Many commands operate on the text of the region. @xref{Mark,Region}.
@item Registers
Registers are named slots in which text or buffer positions or
rectangles can be saved for later use. @xref{Registers}.
rectangles can be saved for later use. @xref{Registers}. A related
Emacs feature is `bookmarks' (q.v.@:).
@item Regular Expression
A regular expression is a pattern that can match various text strings;
for example, @samp{l[0-9]+} matches @samp{l} followed by one or more
for example, @samp{a[0-9]+} matches @samp{a} followed by one or more
digits. @xref{Regexps}.
@item Remote File
A remote file is a file that is stored on a system other than your own.
Emacs can access files on other computers provided that they are
connected to the same network as your machine. @xref{Remote Files}.
@item Repeat Count
See `numeric argument.'
@ -796,14 +962,18 @@ See `global substitution.'
@item Restriction
A buffer's restriction is the amount of text, at the beginning or the
end of the buffer, that is temporarily inaccessible. Giving a buffer a
nonzero amount of restriction is called narrowing (q.v.@:).
@xref{Narrowing}.
nonzero amount of restriction is called narrowing (q.v.@:); removing
a restriction is called widening (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}.
@item @key{RET}
@key{RET} is a character that in Emacs runs the command to insert a
newline into the text. It is also used to terminate most arguments
read in the minibuffer (q.v.@:). @xref{User Input,Return}.
@item Reverting
Reverting means returning to the original state. Emacs lets you
revert a buffer by re-reading its file from disk. @xref{Reverting}.
@item Rmail File
An Rmail file is a file containing text in a special format used by
Rmail for storing mail. @xref{Rmail}.
@ -844,12 +1014,12 @@ Selecting a buffer means making it the current (q.v.@:) buffer.
@xref{Buffers,Selecting}.
@item Selection
The X window system allows an application program to specify named
Windowing systems allow an application program to specify
selections whose values are text. A program can also read the
selections that other programs have set up. This is the principal way
of transferring text between window applications. Emacs has commands to
work with the primary (q.v.@:) selection and the secondary (q.v.@:)
selection.
selection, and also with the clipboard (q.v.@:).
@item Self-Documentation
Self-documentation is the feature of Emacs which can tell you what any
@ -870,8 +1040,8 @@ Emacs has commands for moving by or killing by sentences.
A sexp (short for ``s-expression'') is the basic syntactic unit of Lisp
in its textual form: either a list, or Lisp atom. Many Emacs commands
operate on sexps. The term `sexp' is generalized to languages other
than Lisp, to mean a syntactically recognizable expression.
@xref{Lists,Sexps}.
than Lisp, to mean a syntactically recognizable expression, such as a
block or a parenthesized expression in C. @xref{Lists,Sexps}.
@item Simultaneous Editing
Simultaneous editing means two users modifying the same file at once.
@ -879,6 +1049,17 @@ Simultaneous editing if not detected can cause one user to lose his
work. Emacs detects all cases of simultaneous editing and warns one of
the users to investigate. @xref{Interlocking,,Simultaneous Editing}.
@item Speedbar
Speedbar is a special tall frame that provides fast access to Emacs
buffers, functions within those buffers, Info nodes, and other
interesting parts of text within Emacs. @xref{Speedbar}.
@item Spell Checking
Spell checking means checking correctness of the written form of each
one of the words in a text. Emacs uses the Ispell spelling-checker
program to check the spelling of parts of a buffer via a convenient user
interface. @xref{Spelling}.
@item String
A string is a kind of Lisp data object which contains a sequence of
characters. Many Emacs variables are intended to have strings as
@ -894,6 +1075,9 @@ allowed as well.
@item String Substitution
See `global substitution'.
@item Syntax Highlighting
See `font lock.'
@item Syntax Table
The syntax table tells Emacs which characters are part of a word,
which characters balance each other like parentheses, etc.
@ -906,6 +1090,12 @@ have. To make a character Super, type it while holding down the
@kbd{Super-} (usually written @kbd{s-} for short). @xref{User Input,
Super}.
@item Suspending
Suspending Emacs means stopping it temporarily and returning control
to its parent process, which is usually a shell. Unlike killing a job
(q.v.@:), you can later resume the suspended Emacs job without losing
your buffers, unsaved edits, undo history, etc. @xref{Exiting}.
@item Tags Table
A tags table is a file that serves as an index to the function
definitions in one or more other files. @xref{Tags}.
@ -929,12 +1119,23 @@ Data consisting of written human language, as opposed to programs,
or following the stylistic conventions of human language.
@end itemize
@item Text-only Terminal
A text-only terminal is a display that is limited to displaying text in
character units. Such a terminal cannot control individual pixels it
displays. Emacs supports a subset of display features on character
terminals.
@item Tool Bar
The tool bar is a line (sometimes multiple lines) of icons at the top
of an Emacs frame. Clicking on one of these icons executes a command.
You can think of this as a graphical relative of the menu bar (q.v.).
You can think of this as a graphical relative of the menu bar (q.v.@:).
@xref{Tool Bars}.
@item Tooltips
Tooltips are small windows displaying a help echo (q.v.@:) text that
explains parts of the display, lists useful options available via mouse
clicks, etc. @xref{Tooltips}.
@item Top Level
Top level is the normal state of Emacs, in which you are editing the
text of the file you have visited. You are at top level whenever you
@ -954,6 +1155,9 @@ line that does not fit within the right margin of the window
displaying it. See also `continuation line.'
@xref{Basic,Truncation,Basic Editing}.
@item TTY
See `character terminal.'
@item Undoing
Undoing means making your previous editing go in reverse, bringing
back the text that existed earlier in the editing session.
@ -992,7 +1196,9 @@ it is the opposite of narrowing (q.v.@:). @xref{Narrowing}.
Emacs divides a frame (q.v.@:) into one or more windows, each of which
can display the contents of one buffer (q.v.@:) at any time.
@xref{Screen}, for basic information on how Emacs uses the screen.
@xref{Windows}, for commands to control the use of windows.
@xref{Windows}, for commands to control the use of windows. Some
other editors use the term ``window'' for what we call a `frame'
(q.v.@:) in Emacs.
@item Word Abbrev
See `abbrev.'