ABEND

ABEND means ABnormal END. Abnormal termination (of software); crash; lossage. Derives from an error message on the IBM 360; used jokingly by hackers but seriously mainly by code grinders. Usually capitalised, but may appear as "abend". Hackers will try to persuade you that ABEND is called "abend" because it is what system operators do to the computer late on Friday when they want to call it a day, and hence is from the German Abend = "Evening".

See also:

• Programming

This article (or an earlier version of it) contains material from FOLDOC, used with permission. Modify if needed.