Alt

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Alt \Alt\, a. & n. [See {Alto}.] (Mus.)
     The higher part of the scale. See {Alto}.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {To be in alt}, to be in an exalted state of mind.
        [1913 Webster] Altaian



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  ALT
       n : angular distance above the horizon (especially of a
           celestial object) [syn: {elevation}, {EL}, {altitude}]

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  alt /awlt/ 1. n. The alt shift key on an IBM PC or {clone} keyboard;
     see {bucky bits}, sense 2 (though typical PC usage does not simply set
     the 0200 bit). 2. n. The `option' key on a Macintosh; use of this term
     usually reveals that the speaker hacked PCs before coming to the Mac
     (see also {feature key}, which is sometimes _incorrectly_ called `alt').
     3. n.,obs. [PDP-10; often capitalized to ALT] Alternate name for the
     ASCII ESC character (ASCII 0011011), after the keycap labeling on some
     older terminals; also `altmode' (/awlt'mohd/). This character was almost
     never pronounced `escape' on an ITS system, in {TECO}, or under TOPS-10
     -- always alt, as in "Type alt alt to end a TECO command" or "alt-U onto
     the system" (for "log onto the [ITS] system"). This usage probably arose
     because alt is more convenient to say than `escape', especially when
     followed by another alt or a character (or another alt _and_ a
     character, for that matter). 4. The alt hierarchy on Usenet, the tree of
     newsgroups created by users without a formal vote and approval
     procedure. There is a myth, not entirely implausible, that alt is
     acronymic for "anarchists, lunatics, and terrorists"; but in fact it is
     simply short for "alternative".
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  alt
       
           /awlt/ 1. The alt {modifier key} on many
          {keyboards}, including the {IBM PC}.  On some keyboards and
          {operating systems}, (but not the IBM PC) the alt key sets bit
          7 of the character generated.
       
          See {bucky bits}.
       
          2. The "{clover}" or "Command" key on a {Macintosh}; use of
          this term usually reveals that the speaker hacked PCs before
          coming to the Mac (see also {feature key}).  Some Mac hackers,
          confusingly, reserve "alt" for the Option key (and it is so
          labelled on some Mac II keyboards).
       
          3. (Obsolete {PDP-10}; often "ALT") An alternate name for the
          {ASCII} ESC character (Escape, ASCII 27), after the keycap
          labelling on some older {terminals}; also "altmode"
          (/awlt'mohd/).  This character was almost never pronounced
          "escape" on an {ITS} system, in {TECO} or under {TOPS-10},
          always alt, as in "Type alt alt to end a TECO command" or
          "alt-U onto the system" (for "log onto the [ITS] system").
          This usage probably arose because alt is easier to say.
       
          4.  One of the {Usenet} {newsgroup} {hierarchies}.
          It was founded by {John Gilmore} and {Brian Reid}.  The alt
          hierarchy is special in that anyone can create new groups here
          without going though the normal voting proceduers, hence the
          regular appearence of new groups with names such as
          "alt.swedish.chef.bork.bork.bork".
       
          [{Jargon File}]
       
          (1997-04-12)