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Big Red Switch

Webopedia Staff
Last Updated May 24, 2021 7:36 am
BRS or Big Red Switch is a phrase used to describe an immediate shut down of a system using the main or emergency power switch (e.g., “Hit the BRS”). The term originated from the emergency pull switch on an older IBM mainframe or the power switch on an older IBM PC, which is a large red button. Today, it is considered to be hacker slang for any computer power button or switch.