Hardware

//ˈhɑɹdˌwɛɹ// noun, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Fixtures, equipment, fasteners, tools, and devices used for general-purpose construction and repair of a structure or object. Also such equipment as sold as stock by a store of the same name, e.g. hardware store. uncountable

    "He needed a hammer, nails, screws, nuts, bolts and other assorted hardware, so he went to the hardware store."

  2. 2
    (computer science) the mechanical, magnetic, electronic, and electrical components making up a computer system wordnet
  3. 3
    Equipment. informal, uncountable

    "military hardware"

  4. 4
    major items of military weaponry (as tanks or missile) wordnet
  5. 5
    The part of a computer that is fixed and cannot be altered without replacement or physical modification; motherboard, expansion cards, etc. Compare software. uncountable

    "Hardware is the generally accepted colloquism for anything inside a computer other than an engineer."

Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    instrumentalities (tools or implements) made of metal wordnet
  2. 7
    Electronic equipment. uncountable
  3. 8
    Metal implements. uncountable

    "The designers have put their logo on the hardware of this bag here."

  4. 9
    A firearm. slang, uncountable
  5. 10
    Medals or trophies. slang, uncountable
  6. 11
    Ellipsis of hardware store. Philippines, abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable

Etymology

From Middle English hardware; equivalent to hard + -ware; attested since the mid-15th century.

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