This section is Gforth-specific. You can skip it.
' word compile, compiles the interpretation semantics. For words
with default compilation semantics this is the same as performing the
compilation semantics. To represent the compilation semantics of other
words (e.g., words like if that have no interpretation
semantics), Gforth has the concept of a compilation token (CT,
consisting of two cells), and words comp' and [comp'].
You can perform the compilation semantics represented by a CT with
execute:
: foo2 ( n1 n2 -- n ) [ comp' + execute ] ; see foo
You can compile the compilation semantics represented by a CT with
postpone,:
: foo3 ( -- ) [ comp' + postpone, ] ; see foo3
[ comp' word postpone, ] is equivalent to POSTPONE word.
comp' is particularly useful for words that have no
interpretation semantics:
' if comp' if .s 2drop
Reference: Tokens for Words.