ping

Meanings

Noun

• A high-pitched, short and somewhat sharp sound.
• A pulse of high-pitched or ultrasonic sound whose echoes provide information about nearby objects and vessels.
• A packet which a remote host is expected to echo, thus indicating its presence.
• An email or other message sent requesting acknowledgement.
• Latency.
• A means of highlighting a feature on the game map so that allied players can see it.
• A notification.

Verb

• To make a high-pitched, short and somewhat sharp sound.
• To emit a signal and then listen for its echo in order to detect objects.
• To send a packet in order to determine whether a host is present, particularly by use of the ping utility.
• To send an email or other message to someone in hopes of eliciting a response.
• To flick.
• To bounce.
• To cause something to bounce.
• To call out audibly.
• To penalize.

Origin

• Partly , and partly continuing Middle English pingen, from Old English pyngan. Compare English pang.