SOS

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Translingual[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Chosen because its Morse code sequence (...---...) was easy to remember and recognize even through interference. Many mnemonics and backronyms were later formed from the sequence.

Symbol[edit]

SOS

  1. emergency, mayday, distress
Usage notes[edit]

The code SOS is normally only used in text transmission; for voice communication, mayday is used. The sequence is normally transmitted run together without any letter spacing in between, so it is technically a single unique code rather than a series of three letters.

Synonyms[edit]

See also[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

Symbol[edit]

SOS

  1. (international standards) ISO 4217 currency code for the Somali shilling.

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

From the letters represented by the signal, chosen as a sequence that is easy to recall and transmit (· · · — — — · · ·); it is not, as is commonly believed, an abbreviation for "save our souls", "save our ship", or any other phrase.

Noun[edit]

SOS (plural SOS's or SOSes)

  1. The conventional Morse code call made by a ship in distress.
    The crew sent a frantic SOS as they realised the scale of the disaster.
See also[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

Noun[edit]

SOS

  1. Initialism of Secretary of State.
  2. Initialism of special order sale.

Phrase[edit]

SOS

  1. (colloquial) Initialism of slip on show: a warning to a woman that the underwear she has on can be seen.

Etymology 3[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Noun[edit]

SOS (uncountable)

  1. (games) A children's game in which players take turns to place S's and O's on a grid, collecting points by creating an "SOS" sequence.
See also[edit]

Etymology 4[edit]

Noun[edit]

SOS (uncountable)

  1. Initialism of shit on a shingle.

Etymology 5[edit]

Phrase[edit]

SOS

  1. (Commonwealth, military, historical) Initialism of struck off strength or stricken off strength.
    Antonym: TOS
Usage notes[edit]
  • Only used with the past participle, chiefly in historical military records.

Anagrams[edit]

Japanese[edit]

 SOS on Japanese Wikipedia

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English SOS.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

S(エス)O(オー)S(エス) (esuōesu

  1. SOS (conventional Morse code call made by a ship in distress)
  2. (by extension) the state of being sought an emergency rescue
    ()(せい)からのS(エス)O(オー)S(エス)
    Kasei kara no esuōesu
    an SOS from Mars
  3. silicon on sapphire

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006) 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

Swedish[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Internationalism. Ultimately from the fact that its morse code is easy to remember. First attested in 1923.[1]

Alternative forms[edit]

Noun[edit]

SOS ?

  1. SOS, international telegraphic distress signal
Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
Butter, cheese, and herring

Initialism of smör, ost, sill (butter, cheese, herring). Probably humorous in origin, most likely from the distress signal of the same name.

Alternative forms[edit]

Noun[edit]

SOS ?

  1. A traditional appetizer consisting of butter, cheese, and herring; a smaller version of the brännvinsbord.
Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 3[edit]

Abbreviation of Sveriges officiella statistik (Sweden's official statistic).

Noun[edit]

SOS ?

  1. a particular collection of systems and processes that produce official statistics about Sweden

Etymology 4[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Abbreviation of Södersjukhuset.

Noun[edit]

SOS ?

  1. Misspelling of SÖS, largest hospital in Stockholm, Sweden

Anagrams[edit]

References[edit]