a three-finger salute

three-finger salute

The computer keystroke control-alt-delete, commonly used to force programs to close or the computer to restart. (A jocular play on the expression "one-finger salute," referring to the raising of the middle finger, a rude gesture commonly known as "the finger.") This computer is so janky that I have to give it the three-finger salute pretty much every day.
See also: salute
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a three-finger salute

and TFS
n. & comp. abb. The keyboard keys Control, Alternate, Delete pressed at the same time when a program fails under the Windows operating system. (This is a play on one-finger salute, the digitus impudicus.) I had to give the TFS twice before the program would run.
See also: salute
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • three-finger salute
  • TF
  • TFS
  • log off
  • boot up
  • bootstrap
  • metal
  • bare metal
  • log into
  • reboot