tombstone JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU
/tuːmstoʊn/ · tom·stone
noun
- A headstone marking a person's grave. The family placed a beautiful tombstone at the head of their loved one's grave.
- The symbol ∎ marking the end of a proof. The mathematician used the tombstone symbol to indicate the conclusion of the proof.
- A marker that takes the place of deleted data, allowing for replication of the deletion across servers etc. The database used a tombstone to mark the deleted records, ensuring data consistency across the network.
verb
- To take part in tombstoning: to jump into the sea, etc. from a cliff or other high point so as to enter the water vertically straight. The thrill-seeker decided to tombstone off the cliff, feeling the rush of adrenaline as she plunged into the ocean.
- For a surfboard to stand upright half-submerged in the water (like a tombstone, above) because the surfer is underwater with his or her legrope pulled tight. The surfer struggled to free himself from the tombstoned surfboard, which was holding him underwater.
- To replace (an object or data) with a tombstone marker. The programmer chose to tombstone the old database, replacing it with a new, more efficient system.
Synonyms
Did you know? The term 'tombstone' is also used in the context of tombstoning, a type of extreme sport where participants jump off high points into the water, often with a vertical entry.