Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

cycle drought
     
        A scarcity of {cycle}s.  It may be due to a {cycle crunch},
        but it could also occur because part of the computer is
        temporarily not working, leaving fewer cycles to go around.
        "The {high moby} is {down}, so we're running with only half
        the usual amount of memory.  There will be a cycle drought
        until it's fixed."
     
        [{Jargon File}]
     
        (1994-11-29)