[W/K] :: command interpreter

  command interpreter
       
           A program which reads textual commands from
          the user or from a file and executes them.  Some commands may
          be executed directly within the interpreter itself
          (e.g. setting variables or control constructs), others may
          cause it to load and execute other files.
       
          Unix's command interpreters are known as shells.
       
          When an IBM PC is booted BIOS loads and runs the
          MS-DOS command interpreter into memory from file COMMAND.COM
          found on a floppy disk or hard disk drive.  The commands
          that COMMAND.COM recognizes (e.g. COPY, DIR, PRN) are called
          internal commands, in contrast to external commands which are
          executable files.
       
          (1995-03-16)