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An ABEND (or abnormal end or abend) is an abnormal termination of software, a Crash or lossage.
This usage derives from an error message on the IBM System/360. It is 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 meaning "evening".
Errors or crashes on the Novell NetWare network operating system are usually called ABENDs. Communities of NetWare administrators have sprung up around the Internet, such as abend.org.
See also
References
"Abnormal end"