destruction

n 1: termination by an act of destruction [syn: {devastation}]

2: an event that destroys something [syn: {demolition}]

3: a final state; "he came to a bad end"; "the so-called

glorious experiment came to an inglorious end" [syn: {end},

{death}]

abstraction

1. Generalisation; ignoring or hiding details to capture some

kind of commonality between different instances. Examples are

{abstract data types} (the representation details are hidden),

{abstract syntax} (the details of the {concrete syntax} are

ignored), {abstract interpretation} (details are ignored to

analyse specific properties).

2. Parameterisation, making something a function

of something else. Examples are {lambda abstractions} (making

a term into a function of some variable), {higher-order

function}s (parameters are functions), {bracket abstraction}

(making a term into a function of a variable).

Opposite of {concretisation}.

(1998-06-04)