sync /sink/ n., vi.
(var. `synch') 1. To synchronize, to bring into
synchronization. 2. [techspeak] To force all pending I/O to the
disk; see flush, sense 2. 3. More
generally, to force a number of competing processes or agents to
a state that would be `safe' if the system were to crash; thus,
to checkpoint (in the database-theory sense).