x       The repetition operator.  Returns a string  consist-
             ing of the left operand repeated the number of times
             specified by the right operand.  In  an  array  con-
             text,  if  the  left operand is a list in parens, it
             repeats the list.

                  print '-' x 80;          # print row of dashes
                  print '-' x80;      # illegal, x80 is identifier

                  print "\t" x ($tab/8), ' ' x ($tab%8);  # tab over

                  @ones = (1) x 80;        # an array of 80 1's
                  @ones = (5) x @ones;          # set all elements to 5