from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
Stack Environment Control Dump machine
SECD machine
(SECD machine) The first {abstract machine} for reducing
{lambda-calculus} expressions, invented by P. J. Landin. The
machine has four {registers} holding pointers to {linked
lists} operated as push-down {stacks} which hold the
information required for the evaluation of an expression. The
registers point to (1) Stack which holds the arguments of
partially evaluated expressions and results of completely
evaluated ones, (2) Environment where the current expression
being evaluated is stored, (3) Control which holds the machine
instructions that manipulate the contents of the four
registers that represent the expression being evaluated, (4)
Dump on which the state of the machine is temporarily saved
during the evaluation of expressions. See also {Lispkit}.