A text string pattern matching mechanism. Usually applied to individual lines of text, such as from a simple text file, where the regular expression (sometimes abbreviated as RE) pattern can be used to precisely specify which lines ought to match and which shouldn't. The more complicated REs may look very confusing to people who don't know them, as they look more like a random string of letters and other characters without any obvious meaning.
Commonly they're enclosed between slashes (/like this/), because that's how they were used in many ancient Unix tools. They can also be used for text substitution, for example with the s/ construct. A common operator specifying that a RE will follow is the tilde (~).
The Perl language makes heavy use of regular expressions, and the grep tool also searches by REs. SED and AWK are some older tools also using REs.
REs come in two forms: Basic REs and Extended REs, varying slightly in syntax and possible contructs. Perl extens the Extended REs even further and has defined the standard "Perl Compatible REs" (PCRE).
Commonly they're enclosed between slashes (/like this/), because that's how they were used in many ancient Unix tools. They can also be used for text substitution, for example with the s/ construct. A common operator specifying that a RE will follow is the tilde (~).
The Perl language makes heavy use of regular expressions, and the grep tool also searches by REs. SED and AWK are some older tools also using REs.
REs come in two forms: Basic REs and Extended REs, varying slightly in syntax and possible contructs. Perl extens the Extended REs even further and has defined the standard "Perl Compatible REs" (PCRE).
"some example string" =~ /^s*.*e+.*(?:x.* )?.*?g$/
result: 1 (because the regular expression between the // matches the string)
result: 1 (because the regular expression between the // matches the string)
by DJMoses May 27, 2009
A population which is always the majority. Nothing special, not famous, not rich, not wealthy, not powerful, not a big shot, not a celebrity, not the president, never the leader but always a follower. Just a person that would believe anything they're told and accept the shittier jobs so the government can stay well above and beyond while your just a regular nothing worthless nobody piece of shit.
Most people (at least 99 percent of the population). People no one ever heard of or will ever hear of. Not a celebrity or anywhere near the center of attention, but someone who could barely get on the news if they shot themselves in the head in the middle of Times Square as a suicide just for recognition that he's worth anything at all. my father David is a regular nobody because no one knows him and no one gives a fuck about him or anything about him.
by tatomuck2 September 17, 2008
May I have an order of regular degular buttermilk pancakes? Without all the added jazz? Hold the blueberry smiley face, strawberry glaze, chocolate chips and whipped cream.
by 1Bynum August 13, 2023
A sarcastic insult (although never in a hurtful way), which refers to a persons (sometimes unintentionally) un-romantic behaviour.
"I've been thinking, maybe me and my girlfriend could play some Dungeons & Dragons on Valentine's day"
"Yeah, you're a regular Casanova alright"
"Yeah, you're a regular Casanova alright"
by Nils_McCloud June 14, 2008
by c-george May 12, 2003
A satirical insult, which generally refers to a person's stupidity.
When a person remarks something blatantly obvious, it can also be used in the same context as Captain Obvious.
When a person remarks something blatantly obvious, it can also be used in the same context as Captain Obvious.
by Nils_McCloud June 13, 2008
by Joshuarren April 11, 2019