In the TWS/Maestro software we use, anything that fails with an error "Abnormally Ended", abbreviated "ABEND". I guess "FAIL" or "ERROR" were downers. Anyway, it means all the folks here that use the software have picked up the habit of taking about jobs that will "Abend" or have "Abended." I call the night shift folks all the time and say things like "This evening look out for an Abend."