clone
    n 1: a person who is almost identical to another [syn: ringer,
         dead ringer, clone]
    2: a group of genetically identical cells or organisms derived
       from a single cell or individual by some kind of asexual
       reproduction [syn: clone, clon]
    3: an unauthorized copy or imitation [syn: knockoff, clone]
    v 1: make multiple identical copies of; "people can clone a
         sheep nowadays"

clone \clone\ v. t.
   1. (Biol.) to make a clone from; to make identical copies of
      an organism by a non-sexual process of reproduction.
      [WordNet 1.5]

   2. (Microbiol.) to grow colonies of a microorganism by
      spreading a suspension of the microorganism onto a solid
      growth medium (such as in a Petri dish), at a
      concentration such that individual colonies will grow from
      single cells sufficiently well separated from other
      colonies so that pure cultures derived from a single
      organism can be isolated.
      [WordNet 1.5]

   3. (Biochem.) to make large quantities of a segment of DNA by
      inserting it, using biochemical techniques, into the DNA
      of a microorganism, and growing that microorganism in
      large numbers; as, to clone the gene for growth hormone.
      [PJC]

clone \clone\ (kl[=o]n), n.
   1. (Biol.) a group of organisms derived from a single
      individual by some kind of asexual reproduction; -- used
      mostly of microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast.

   Syn: clon.
        [WordNet 1.5]

   2. (Biol.) an individual organism containing a genetic
      complement identical to that of another organism, produced
      by using the genetic material from the second animal in a
      non-sexual reproduction process.
      [PJC]

   3. something virtually identical to another object.
      [PJC]

clone
 n.

    1. An exact duplicate: ?Our product is a clone of their product.? Implies a
    legal reimplementation from documentation or by reverse-engineering. Also
    connotes lower price.

    2. A shoddy, spurious copy: ?Their product is a clone of our product.?

    3. A blatant ripoff, most likely violating copyright, patent, or trade
    secret protections: ?Your product is a clone of my product.? This use
    implies legal action is pending.

    4. [obs] PC clone: a PC-BUS/ISA/EISA/PCI-compatible 80x86-based
    microcomputer (this use is sometimes spelled klone or PClone). These
    invariably have much more bang for the buck than the IBM archetypes they
    resemble. This term fell out of use in the 1990s; the class of machines it
    describes are now simply PCs or Intel machines.

    5. [obs.] In the construction Unix clone: An OS designed to deliver a
    Unix-lookalike environment without Unix license fees, or with additional
    ?mission-critical? features such as support for real-time programming. 
    Linux and the free BSDs killed off this product category and the term with
    it.

    6. v. To make an exact copy of something. ?Let me clone that? might mean ?I
    want to borrow that paper so I can make a photocopy? or ?Let me get a copy
    of that file before you mung it?.

clone

    1. An exact copy of a product, made legally or
   illegally, from documentation or by reverse engineering,
   and usually cheaper.

   E.g. "PC clone": a PC-BUS/ISA, EISA, VESA, or PCI
   compatible x86-based microcomputer (this use is sometimes
   misspelled "klone" or "PClone").  These invariably have much more
   bang per buck than the IB PCM they resemble.

   E.g. "Unix clone": An operating system designed to deliver a
   Unix-like environment without Unix licence fees or with
   additional "mission-critical" features such as support for
   real-time programming.

   2.  A clonebot.

   [Jargon File]

   (2000-06-15)