jargon /o'bend/, /*-bend'/ 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".