Ctrl-Alt-Delete
- noun
- Specialized
- Did you try Ctrl-Alt-Delete to restart your computer?
It's like on the computer, CTRL alt delete.
- It's like on the computer, CTRL alt delete.
Examples
-
She taught her grandfather how to use Ctrl-Alt-Delete when his PC became unresponsive.
-
My computer froze, so I pressed Ctrl-Alt-Delete to open the task manager.
-
If an application stops responding, try using Ctrl-Alt-Delete to force it to close.
-
Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete to access the task manager.
-
If your computer freezes, simply press Ctrl-Alt-Delete to access the task manager.
-
To close an unresponsive program, use Ctrl-Alt-Delete to open the task manager.
-
When the screen goes blank, you can get back to using your computer by hitting Ctrl-Alt-Delete.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Ctrl-Alt-Delete comes from pressing three keys—Control, Alt, and Delete—together to stop or restart a computer. People call it the 'three-finger salute' because it quickly gets the computer's attention, so the phrase now means a fast way to fix a frozen program or open system tools.