Definition of a ping

ping

interjection

a message (sent literally) to enquire whether someone is present via instant messaging or internet chat. ACK is the affirmative response. (NAK is a humorous negative response, meaning "No, I'm not here.")
Person A: ping.

Person B: ACK.
Person A: ping.

Person B: NAK.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to schedule, check the availability of.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Apr 18 2009.

noun

a measure of network lag, often used in online gaming.
I'm getting terrible pings, so I'm going to connect to a different server.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
Last edited on Apr 18 2009. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Apr 18 2009.
a short message sent to a person, often to enquire about their availability.
Could you send Bob a ping and see if he's available for a 4pm meeting?
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to schedule, check the availability of.
Last edited on Apr 18 2009. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Apr 18 2009.

verb - transitive

to send a short message to someone or call them briefly, often to enquire about their availability.
Could you ping Bob and see if he's available for a 4pm meeting?
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to schedule, check the availability of.
Last edited on Aug 02 2010. Submitted by Mark L. from Newburyport, MA, USA on Nov 07 1999.
to contact by any means.
I'll ping you later, when we are ready.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to contact, call, mail.
Last edited on Aug 02 2010. Submitted by Tom B. from Hoboken, NJ, USA on Aug 31 2003.
to send a message to a mailing list, requesting that all subscribers to the list respond to the message. This is done to verify that all subscribers' email addresses work properly.
I haven't gotten a status report from Tim lately, but he did respond when we pinged the development list.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to contact, call, mail.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Apr 18 2009.

origin

From a utility written in 1983 by Mike Muuss, that checks whether a remote computer can respond to network traffic. In turn, this utility (ping) was named after the submariners' term for a sonar pulse (ping).
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to schedule, check the availability of.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Apr 18 2009.

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Related words

Slang terms with the same meaning

Other terms relating to 'computer slang':
benchy	Definitions include: "benchmark".
FWIU	Definitions include: "from what I understand".
plug and pray	Definitions include: from "Plug and Play," by which computers automatically attempt to recognize newly attached devices.
PMJI	Definitions include: acronym for "pardon my jumping in".
B4	Definitions include: before.
Goggle	Definitions include: misspelling of Google.
cewebrity	Definitions include: a person who is famous due to their world-wide web presence.
thxs	Definitions include: abbreviated form of "thanks".
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hacked up	Definitions include: a system that was created by hacking it up over time.
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HNY	Definitions include: acronym for "happy new year".
killer app	Definitions include: a computer program that single-handedly or near single-handedly makes a computing platform popular.
dinky	Definitions include: underpowered.
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(show 590 more)
Other terms relating to 'to contact, call, mail':
give (one) a shout	Definitions include: to contact a person.
hit up	Definitions include: to contact a person, especially by calling on a phone.
buzz	Definitions include: to call on a telephone.
HMU	Definitions include: acronym for "hit me up".
get up with	Definitions include: to contact (e.g. by telephone) or to hang out with.
robocall	Definitions include: an automated phone call where the "caller" is a recorded or computer-generated message.
holla	Definitions include: to talk or to contact, especially at some later time.
butt-dial	Definitions include: to accidentally call a person on a cellphone that's in one's pocket.
MySpace	Definitions include: to send a person a comment or a message on MySpace.com.
Other terms relating to 'to schedule, check the availability of':
pencil in	Definitions include: to tentatively add something to one's schedule.
calendar	Definitions include: to examine schedules to determine a time when two or more people would be available to meet for some purpose.

Slang terms with the same root words

None. How about some random words?

slippery	Definitions include: under the influence of drugs
mollywhop	Definitions include: to hit or to beat very hard.
sow (one's) oats	Definitions include: to be sexually promiscuous, usually during youth.
play with (one's self)	Definitions include: to masturbate.
Saturblass	Definitions include: Defending bad behavior
*sht money**	Definitions include: to have a lot of money.
boomerang	Definitions include: to keep breaking up and getting back together with someone quickly.
unass	Definitions include: to leave.
wuffo	Definitions include: an unknowledgeable observer who hangs around a hang gliding launching or landing area asking many questions; slang used by hangliders that wanna be skydivers.
sapiophile	Definitions include: one who is attracted to intelligent people. A person who finds intelligence attractive. from Latin sapio ('wise, sensible, discerning') and Greek -phile ('loving') "I am 'attracted to intelligence' therefore I am a sapiophile."