Definition

Noun: - A control character or operation that causes the printer or display to advance to the next line: A "line feed" is a command or signal that moves the cursor or print head down to the beginning of the next line, preparing for the next character to be printed or displayed on a new line.

Usage

• The term "line feed" is used primarily in computing, telecommunications, and printing to describe a fundamental text formatting operation.
• It is often discussed in conjunction with the "carriage return" command, especially in the context of different operating systems (e.g., Windows uses both a carriage return and a line feed for a new line, while Unix-like systems typically use only a line feed).

Examples

• Noun:
  • The old teletype required a line feed after each line of text.
  • In programming, you can insert a line feed character using \n in many languages.
  • The text file was corrupted because the line feed characters were missing.

Advanced Usage

• "line feed character": The specific control character (often represented as , ASCII code 10, or ) that performs the line feed operation.
  • Make sure your data exporter uses the correct line feed character for the target system.

Variants and Related Words

• Carriage return (CR): A related control character (often ) that returns the cursor to the beginning of the current line. Combined with a line feed (LF), it forms a "CRLF" newline sequence.
• Newline: A general term for the character or sequence of characters (which may include a line feed) that signifies the end of a line of text and the start of a new one.
• Form feed: A different control character that typically advances to the next page or form.

Synonyms

• New line indicator: A phrase describing its function.
• Line advance: A less common technical synonym.

Notes on Meaning

• The "line feed" specifically refers to the action of advancing to the line. It does not, by itself, imply a return to the start of that line (which is the function of a carriage return). This distinction is crucial in historical and technical contexts.

Noun

1. the operation that prepares for the next character to be printed or displayed on the next line