# ping

Pronunciation: US say "PING" /pɪŋ/; UK

## Noun

1. A high-pitched, short, and fairly sharp sound.
   - Simple: A short, high, sharp sound, like a small bell or a tap on metal.
   - _The tuning fork gave a clear ping when she struck it against the desk._
   - _A sharp ping rang out as the pebble struck the metal hull._
4. A packet that a remote host is expected to echo back, confirming its presence.
   - Simple: A small message sent to another computer to check if it is there and working.
   - _Each ping returned within a few milliseconds, confirming the host was reachable._
   - _The diagnostic tool sends a ping and waits for the echo._
6. A notification, such as an alert a device displays when something needs attention.
   - Simple: A short message or alert that tells you something has happened.
   - _A ping from the calendar app reminded her of the appointment._
   - _Every ping on his watch made him glance down at his wrist._
7. An email or other message sent to request acknowledgement or a reply.
   - Simple: A message sent to someone that asks them to reply or confirm.
   - _Her ping went unanswered for the whole afternoon._
   - _Send me a ping when you've finished reviewing the draft._
8. The time delay in a network connection, measured by how long a signal takes to make a round trip.
   - Simple: The short delay between sending data and getting a reply over a network.
   - _A ping under twenty milliseconds feels almost instant in online games._
   - _High ping during the match made every move feel sluggish._
9. A marker placed on the game map to highlight a location or object for allied players to see.
   - Simple: A mark a player puts on the game map so teammates can see something.
   - _He spammed pings on the objective until the team regrouped._
   - _A single ping on the map alerted everyone to the incoming attack._
10. A pulse of high-pitched sound whose echoes reveal nearby objects and vessels underwater.
   - Simple: A short, high sound sent out underwater to find ships or objects by its echo.
   - _The sonar operator listened for the ping returning from the hull ahead._
   - _A single ping revealed the depth of the seabed below._

## Verb

2. To make a high-pitched, short, and fairly sharp sound.
   - Simple: To make a short, high, sharp sound.
   - _Old radiators ping as they warm up in the morning._
   - _The cooling engine pinged softly as the metal contracted._
3. To send a packet to a host in order to learn whether it is present, typically using the ping utility.
   - Simple: To send a small signal to a computer over a network to check if it is working.
   - _Technicians ping remote servers before scheduling any maintenance work._
   - _The administrator pinged each node to confirm the network was up._
5. To message someone by email, chat, or text, typically to prompt a reply.
   - Simple: To send someone a quick message hoping they will reply.
   - _Ping me once the documents are ready for review._
   - _He pinged the team on Slack to ask for an update._
11. To locate objects by sending out a pulse, as in sonar, and picking up the echo that bounces back from them.
   - Simple: To send out a sound signal and listen for its echo to find objects.
   - _The destroyer continued to ping as it searched the channel for the submarine._
   - _Submarines that ping reveal their own position to anyone listening._
12. To flick something sharply, typically with a quick movement of the finger. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To hit something lightly and quickly with a finger.
   - _He reached over to ping the wine glass and hear it ring._
   - _Bored students ping bits of paper at each other._
13. To cause an object to bounce, as off a hard surface. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To make something bounce off a surface.
   - _Players ping the puck off the boards to reach a teammate._
   - _He pinged the marble off the rim to knock the others loose._
14. To bounce, especially off a hard surface. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To bounce off a surface.
   - _Stray pucks sometimes ping off the glass into the crowd._
   - _The marble pinged off the rim and rolled away._
15. To call out something audibly to others. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To call out loudly so others can hear.
   - _Defenders ping to each other to coordinate their positions._
   - _She pinged loudly so the whole team could hear the plan._
16. To penalize someone, typically with a fine or other sanction. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To punish someone, usually with a fine or penalty.
   - _Officials can ping a driver for even a minor violation._
   - _The umpire pinged the bowler for overstepping the line._
17. To trigger someone's sense that a person is gay; to look or act obviously homosexual. *(slang)*
   - Simple: To come across as clearly gay, or to make someone sense that a person is gay.
   - _His new coworker pinged immediately, though no one said anything._
   - _Some people ping the instant they open their mouths._

## Origin

The word is partly onomatopoeic, imitating the sound. It also continues Middle English pingen ("to push, shove, pierce, prod, urge"), from Old English pyngan ("to prick"), which in turn likely came from Latin pungere; compare English pang.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/ping (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).