dedent

English

Etymology 1

de- +‎ indent

Verb

dedent (third-person singular simple present dedents, present participle dedenting, simple past and past participle dedented)

1. (computing, transitive, primarily Python) To outdent; to remove an indent from.
   • 2008, Matthew A. Telles, Python Power!: The Comprehensive Guide‎^[1], →ISBN:

     Dedent Region If there were any need to prove that Python was a programmer's tool, and not something written for anyone with the slightest grasp of the English language, instead of the Python language, this menu option would dissuade them from that belief. Really, who would call something dedent? ... Unlike the indenting command, dedenting (can this really be used as a verb?) a block can cause problems.

   • 2009, Chris Smith, Programming F#, →ISBN, page 7:

     If the body of the if statement, the failwith, was dedented four spaces and therefore lined up with the if keyword, the F# compiler would yield a warning.

   • 2016, Laura Tateosian, Python For ArcGIS, page 24:

     Items within a block structure are sequential code statements indented the same amount to indicate that they are related. The first line of code dedented (moved back a notch) after a block structure does not belong to the block structure.

Noun

dedent (plural dedents)

1. (computing, transitive, primarily Python) An outdent.

Etymology 2

de- +‎ dent

Verb

dedent (third-person singular simple present dedents, present participle dedenting, simple past and past participle dedented)

1. To remove a dent or dents from.
   • 1937, Compressed Air Magazine, volume 42, page 5230:

     In the drawing at the bottom of the page are shown the structural features of a dedenting machine as built by The Vol-U-Meter Company, Inc.

   • 1945, The Bulletin of the National Association of Purchasing Agents, volume 16, page 12:

     To sell at the “reconditioned” price ceiling, the used drum must be thoroughly cleaned, dedented, painted, fully repaired to insure that the drum is liquid tight, and be supplied with the necessary openings, closures and gaskets to make the drum fit for use as a shipping container.

Etymology 3

Noun

dedent (plural dedents)

1. Alternative form of detent
   • 1917, Popular Science Monthly‎^[2], volume 91, page 419:

     On being fired from the gun, the projectile travels at a high rotary speed and the dedent spring is compressed, so that the dedents, acting as virtually one piece, drop down into the dedent spring cavity.

   • 1945, Technical Manual, United States War Dept, page 133:

     Between each rod in the control cover body is an interlocking pin, which also rides in a dedent when one fork is shifted, the purpose being to lock the other rod and to prevent the meshing of more than one gear simultaneously.

Anagrams

• 'tended, dented, tended

Latin

Verb

dēdent

1. third-person plural future active indicative of dēdō