V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (February 2016):

ABEND
       ABnormal END (Netware)


The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

ABEND
 /a?bend/, /@?bend?/, n.

    [ABnormal END]

    1. 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 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?.

    2. [alt.callahans] Absent By Enforced Net Deprivation ? used in the subject
    lines of postings warning friends of an imminent loss of Internet access.
    (This can be because of computer downtime, loss of provider, moving or
    illness.) Variants of this also appear: ABVND = ?Absent By Voluntary Net
    Deprivation? and ABSEND = ?Absent By Self-Enforced Net Deprivation? have
    been sighted.


The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

ABEND

    /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".

   [Jargon File]

   (1994-11-08)