diff meaning (slang): definition, quotations

diff

noun

/dɪf/

9 senses

1Clipping of difference
2Clipping of differential
3Used to trash-talk an opposing team at the end of a game…
4Any program which compares two files or sets of files…
5The output of a diff program, a diff file.
6Abbreviation of differential: the differential gear in…
7Abbreviation of differential: differential of types of…
8A difficult route.
9Clipping of difficulty.

Abbreviation, Clipping, Slang Clipping of difference

A peach and an apricot? What's the diff?
MrX provided close to 100 diffs presented in a lengthy brief divided into sections.2024 August 29, Ashley Rindsberg, “How Wikipedia Launders Regime Propaganda”, in Pirate Wires, archived from the original on 29 Aug 2024:

Mathematics, Sciences Abbreviation, Clipping Clipping of differential

This function takes that diff and plugs it into the larger structure.
[Pogo:] A woman outthunk is a woman scorned and you know what's got no fury like that! [...] Mus' I tell you? It's Sunday. [Albert:] What's the diff? Tell away. [Pogo, whispering:] Hell.1960 March 13, Walt Kelly, Pogo, Sunday, comic strip, →ISBN, page 277:

Video games Slang Used to trash-talk an opposing team at the end of a game by pointing out a skill difference between some role and the same role on the other team.

tank diff (i.e., the deciding factor in the game was the difference in skill between the teams' tank players)

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Any program which compares two files or sets of files and outputs a description of the differences between them.

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences The output of a diff program, a diff file.

edit diff
I didn't want to waste people's time telling them things they already knew. It's more efficient just to give them the diffs.2004, Paul Graham, Great Hackers, Essay:

Automotive, Transport, Vehicles Abbreviation Abbreviation of differential: the differential gear in an automobile.

This diff is capable of locking up when wheel slip occurs.
Many operators cursed the early diff and driveline set-ups[.]2000, Bob Foster, Birdum or Bust!, Henley Beach, SA: Seaview Press, page 45:

Medicine, Sciences Abbreviation Abbreviation of differential: differential of types of white blood cell in a complete blood count.

CBC with diff
Hemoccult emesis and stool, CBC with diff, PT/PTT, type and cross for PRBCs.2006, “Gastroenterology: Esophageal Varices”, in Steven E. Diaz, The Little Black Book of Emergency Medicine (Jones and Bartlett's Little Black Book Series), 2nd edition, Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, →ISBN, page 103:

Climbing, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A difficult route.

Lifestyle Abbreviation, Clipping, Slang Clipping of difficulty.

Derived terms: diff EQ, diff lock

diff

verb

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To run a diff program on (files or items) so as to produce a description of the differences between them, as for a patch file.

As we move through this chapter, you will quickly see the benefits of diffing code changes to drivers, libraries, and applications.2011, Gray Hat Hacking : The Ethical Hacker's Handbook, 3rd edition, New York: McGraw-Hill, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 484:

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To compare two files or other objects, manually or otherwise.

Lifestyle Slang To win (or to be able to win) a fight against another, with a defined level of difficulty. Usually used when power scaling fictional characters.

Derived terms: diffable, differ, high diff, low diff, mid diff, neg diff, no diff