program: Meaning and Definition of

pro•gram

Pronunciation: (prō'gram, -grum), [key]
— n., v., -grammed -gramed, -gram•ming -gram•ing.
—n.
  1. a plan of action to accomplish a specified end: a school lunch program.
  2. a plan or schedule of activities, procedures, etc., to be followed.
  3. a radio or television performance or production.
  4. a list of items, pieces, performers, etc., in a musical, theatrical, or other entertainment.
  5. an entertainment with reference to its pieces or numbers: a program of American and French music.
  6. a planned, coordinated group of activities, procedures, etc., often for a specific purpose, or a facility offering such a series of activities: a drug rehabilitation program; a graduate program in linguistics.
  7. a prospectus or syllabus: a program of courses being offered.
    1. a systematic plan for the automatic solution of a problem by a computer.
    2. the precise sequence of instructions enabling a computer to solve a problem.
—v.t.
  1. to schedule as part of a program.
  2. to prepare a program for.
  3. to insert or encode specific operating instructions into (a machine or apparatus): We'll program the bells to ring at ten-minute intervals.
  4. to insert (instructions) into a machine or apparatus: An automatic release has been programmed into the lock as a safety feature.
  5. to cause to absorb or incorporate automatic responses, attitudes, or the like; condition: Our parents programmed us to respect our elders.
  6. to set, regulate, or modify so as to produce a specific response or reaction: Program your eating habits to eliminate sweets.
—v.i.
  1. to plan or write a program.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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