buffering
A common computer graphic consisting of a series of dots, ovals or lines arranged in a circle, and either progressively shaded from light to dark or increasing in size. When animated the formation appears to rotate.
It typically appears when an application is waiting for data (for example, waiting to receive the next few seconds of a streamed video). It can also appear when the system is busy doing something; in this sense it is equivalent to the older spinning hourglass icon.
When applied to a character, it usually indicates:
- an imminent realization regarding a mistake they made or something they forgot
- an inability to fully grasp something that has just happened
- a vacant mental state ("no thoughts, head empty")