SOS

¹

1. the letters represented by the radio telegraphic signal (· · · – – – · · ·) used, especially by ships in distress, as an internationally recognized call for help.

noun

1. any call for help:

   We sent out an SOS for more typists.

verb (used without object)

1. to send an SOS.

SOS

²

abbreviation for

, Slang.

1. shit on a shingle (a euphemistic initialism used to avoid explicit vulgarity).

s.o.s.

³

abbreviation for

1. (in prescriptions) if necessary.

SOS

noun

1. an internationally recognized distress signal in which the letters SOS are repeatedly spelt out, as by radio-telegraphy: used esp by ships and aircraft
2. a message broadcast in an emergency for people otherwise unobtainable
3. informal.
   a call for help

Word History and Origins

Origin of SOS¹

First recorded in 1905–10; from the Morse code alphabet, in which three dots (or short clicks) represents the letter S and three dashes (or long clicks) represents the letter O

Origin of SOS²

From Latin sī opus sit

Word History and Origins

Origin of SOS¹

C20: letters chosen as the simplest to transmit and receive in Morse code; by folk etymology taken to be an abbreviation for save our souls

Example Sentences

As Democrats mutter privately that their Senate majority is sinking beneath the waves, their leadership has sent out an SOS.

From The Daily Beast

Mooney quickly inflated his life raft, sent out an SOS signal and drifted for fourteen days before he was rescued.

From The Daily Beast

But FEC filings show that neither the left-leaning SoS for Democracy nor the right-leaning SoS for SoS have taken off yet.

From The Daily Beast

The acronym of the embodying League of the Common Fate is SOS.

From The Daily Beast

Gascón and the Boken family and the others of a pro “kill switch” group calling itself Secure Our Smartphones (SOS) kept pushing.

From The Daily Beast

Miss blusht—what a happy dog he was—Miss blusht crimson, and then he sighed deeply, and began eating his turbat and lobster sos.

From Project Gutenberg

A great blob of brown sos spurted on to master's chick, and myandrewed down his shert-collar and virging-white weskit.

From Project Gutenberg

I came up to tell you, sos you could get a man to help you and go right down and get him out.

From Project Gutenberg

Den write it all out crost de back ob Miss Jinnys letter sos I have sumpin fer ter show dat its done paid.

From Project Gutenberg

Yuh hadn't ought to uh done it—or else yuh oughta made a clean job of it sos't we could hang yuh proper.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• admonition
• advice
• alarm
• alert
• caution
• example
• guidance
• hint
• indication
• information
• lesson
• notification
• prediction
• recommendation
• sign
• signal
• suggestion
• threat
• word