reprogram

English

Alternative forms

• reprogramme

Etymology

From re- +‎ program.

Verb

reprogram (third-person singular simple present reprograms, present participle reprogramming or reprograming, simple past and past participle reprogrammed or reprogramed)

1. (transitive, computing) To program anew or differently.

   Synonym: recode

   Troponym: refactor

   • 2003, Andrew Huang, Hacking the Xbox: an introduction to reverse engineering:

     Installing a new hard drive would require a modchip that can reprogram or bypass the hard drive lock.

2. (transitive, by extension) To make a fundamental change to the behaviour or habits of.
3. (government) To shift funds appropriated for one government program to a different government program.
   • 1993, Diane Publishing Company, Defense Conversion: Redirecting R & D, page 110:

     Technically, DOE did not need authority to reprogram the funds as long as the spending didn't span different appropriation line items.

   • 1976, Gerald R. Ford, “Special Message to the Congress Reporting on Budget Decisions and Referrals”, in Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Gerald R. Ford, published 1979, page 2097:

     This deferral is reported to give Congress time to consider a request to reprogram the funds.

Anagrams

• programer