An act of parsing; a parsing.
"The compiler's output file contains not just the source code, but also the parse tree generated during compilation."
In plain English: A parse is an error that happens when computer code has bad grammar and can't be read correctly by a program.
"The programmer spent hours analyzing every piece of code in his parse to find the bug."
analyze syntactically by assigning a constituent structure to (a sentence)
"The compiler must parse each line of code to ensure it follows the correct grammatical rules before execution."
To resolve (a sentence, etc.) into its elements, pointing out the several parts of speech, and their relation to each other by agreement or government; to analyze and describe grammatically.
"The linguist will parse every sentence in the ancient manuscript to identify how its words function together grammatically."
In plain English: To parse something means to break it down into its smallest parts so you can fully understand how everything fits together.
"The computer program will parse your input to understand what you mean."
Usage: Use parse specifically for analyzing grammatical structure within sentences rather than general interpretation. This term is common in computer science when describing how code interprets syntax but remains distinct from simply reading text aloud.
The word parse likely entered English in the Middle Ages via Old French and Latin as a term for grammatical "parts" or divisions. Its ultimate roots may trace back to an ancient Indo-European root meaning "to carry forth."