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Top-Level Definitions

A top-level definition,

(define variable expression)

has essentially the same effect as this assignment expression, if variable is bound:

(set! variable expression)

If variable is not bound, however, define binds variable to a new location in the current environment before performing the assignment (it is an error to perform a set! on an unbound variable). If you omit expression, the variable becomes unassigned; an attempt to reference such a variable is an error.

(define add3
   (lambda (x) (+ x 3)))                =>  unspecified
(add3 3)                                =>  6

(define first car)                      =>  unspecified
(first '(1 2))                          =>  1

(define bar)                            =>  unspecified
bar                                     error--> Unassigned variable

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