@cindex equivalence predicate, of hash table
@cindex strongly held keys, of hash table
@cindex weakly held keys, of hash table
+@cindex ephemerally held keys, of hash table
+@cindex strongly held data, of hash table
+@cindex weakly held data, of hash table
+@cindex ephemerally held data, of hash table
Hash tables are normally characterized by two things: the equivalence
predicate that is used to compare keys, and how the table allows its
keys and data to be reclaimed by the garbage collector. If a table