DISTRESS CALL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does distress call mean? 

• DISTRESS CALL (noun)
  The noun DISTRESS CALL has 1 sense:

1. an internationally recognized signal sent out by a ship or plane indicating that help is needed

  Familiarity information: DISTRESS CALL used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISTRESS CALL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An internationally recognized signal sent out by a ship or plane indicating that help is needed

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

distress call; distress signal

Hypernyms ("distress call" is a kind of...):

sign; signal; signaling (any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "distress call"):

SOS (an internationally recognized distress signal in radio code)

Mayday (an internationally recognized distress signal via radiotelephone (from the French m'aider))