Made a short, sharp sound, or sent a signal to check if a computer or person is responding (past tense of ping).
Likely onomatopoeia from the actual sound 'ping,' used in WWII for sonar. Later adopted in computing as a test command to check network connections, then into general communication.
The word 'ping' perfectly echoes the sonar sound submarine sailors heard bouncing off objects underwater—the same concept is used in internet networks today to check if devices are 'alive'!
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