machine operation

/məˌʃin ˈɑpəˌreɪʃən/

Other forms: machine operations

Definitions of machine operation

1. noun

   an elementary operation that a computer is designed and built to perform
   synonyms: computer operation

   types:

   floating-point operation, flop

   an arithmetic operation performed on floating-point numbers

   retrieval

   (computer science) the operation of accessing information from the computer's memory

   storage

   (computer science) the process of storing information in a computer memory or on a magnetic tape or disk

   fragmentation

   (computer science) the condition of a file that is broken up and stored in many different locations on a magnetic disk

   stovepiping

   retrieval of information from unconnected databases; the situation that exists when it is necessary to climb out of one database in order to climb down into another; sometimes used for protection against wandering hackers

   type of:

   operation

   (computer science) data processing in which the result is completely specified by a rule (especially the processing that results from a single instruction)