busy-waitlock
nounUK /ˈbɪzi weɪt lɒk/
US /ˈbɪzi weɪt lɑːk/
A busy-waitlock is a way a computer keeps checking over and over until it can go ahead.
The program used a busy-waitlock so it kept asking the printer if it was ready.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A lock that makes a thread repeat a check in a loop instead of sleeping.
The busy-waitlock kept the thread looping until the flag changed.
3. A simple locking trick used when waiting times are very short.
For such a tiny task, a busy-waitlock was faster than a full sleep.
4. A lock that wastes processor time by constantly testing a condition.
The busy-waitlock burned CPU cycles while it waited for the file.