\csn and \ece
\csn{name} simply abbreviates \csname name
\encsname, thus saving some typing. The extra level of expansion
does take some time, though, so I don't recommend it for an inner loop.
\expandafter token \csname name \endcsname
For example,
\def\fontabbrevdef#1#2{\ece\def{@#1font}{#2}}
\fontabbrevdef{normal}{ptmr}
defines a control sequence \@normalfont to expand to
ptmr.