ABEND

ABEND /o'bend/, /*-bend'/ n.  [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 grinder}s.  Usually capitalized, 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 machine late on Friday when they want to call it a day, and
   hence is from the German `Abend' = `Evening'.