cycle drought
A scarcity of {cycles}. It may be due to a {cycle crunch},
but it could also occur because part of the computer is
temporarily not working, leaving fewer cycles to go around.
"The {high moby} is {down}, so we're running with only half
the usual amount of memory. There will be a cycle drought
until it's fixed."
[{Jargon File}]
(1994-11-29)