(thing) by panamaus Sat May 19 2001 at 2:46:18
From the Telecom Glossary 2K:

  1. An absorber of energy.
  2. In communications, a device that receives information, control, or other signals from a source.
  3. A location at which a specified multiplex structure is terminated through connected equipment removing the frame alignment signal and disassembling the channel time slots.
Draft of ANSI T1A1.5 Glossary, Document #T1A1.5/94-137, July 29, 1994. S. Wolf (ed.). NOTE: The T1-cited terms defined herein are as used in the standards developed by Committee T1. The same terms may be used in a different context with a different meaning.

I like it!