secd machine

1 definition found

secd machine - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  Stack Environment Control Dump machine
  SECD machine
  
     (SECD machine) The first abstract machine for reducing
     lambda-calculus expressions, invented by P. J. Landin.  The
     machine has four registers holding pointers to linked lists
      operated as push-down stacks which hold the
     information required for the evaluation of an expression.  The
     registers point to (1) Stack which holds the arguments of
     partially evaluated expressions and results of completely
     evaluated ones, (2) Environment where the current expression
     being evaluated is stored, (3) Control which holds the machine
     instructions that manipulate the contents of the four
     registers that represent the expression being evaluated, (4)
     Dump on which the state of the machine is temporarily saved
     during the evaluation of expressions.  See also Lispkit.