slopsucker

/slop'suhk-r/ A lowest-priority task that waits around until

everything else has "had its fill" of machine resources. Only

when the machine would otherwise be idle is the task allowed

to "suck up the slop". Also called a "hungry puppy" or

"bottom feeder". One common variety of slopsucker hunts for

large prime numbers. Compare background.

[Jargon File]