VDict mobile



1. operating system, multitasking (Or "block") When a
process on a multitasking system asks the scheduler to
deactivate it until some given external event (e.g. an
interrupt or a specified time delay) occurs.
The alternative is to poll or "busy wait" for the event
but this uses processing power.
Also used in the phrase "sleep on" (or "block on") some
external event, meaning to wait for it.
E.g. the Unix command of the same name which pauses the
current process for a given number of seconds.
2. hardware To go into partial deactivation to save power.
(2000-09-25)