Interrupt
To interrupt means to abruptly stop or break the flow of something, like a conversation or a process, often causing a temporary pause. In modern contexts, it's frequently used in technology to describe a signal that prioritizes urgent tasks, such as in computing where it ensures efficient multitasking without crashing systems.
Did you know?
In computing, interrupts were pioneered in the 1950s by engineers at MIT, allowing devices like keyboards to communicate with CPUs without waiting, which processes over a billion interrupts per second in today's smartphones. This innovation not only sped up technology but also inspired similar concepts in psychology, where 'interrupts' in thought patterns can enhance creativity by forcing the brain to switch tracks.
Verified Sources
Your Usage Frequency
13 / 721