It is very likely that as a kid you invented a code language, one you could use to speak with your siblings without your parents being able to understand and to exchange secrets with your classmates and make sure that even if a teacher was around, you wouldn’t get caught. Remember the excitement of creating your own codewords and using them left, right, and center just because you could, and how it felt like you were spies deep undercover?
Well, you were not that far from the truth. Not only spies, but people of all professions and occupations have been using a secret code of some kind that was only understandable to those who were part of the circle for a very long time in history. And of course, there were many secret societies and organizations that would use a secret code language for their safety and the safety of their plans.
Today this tradition continues for many professionals whose daily work is in some way connected with emergency situations. In doing so, they pursue two goals. Number one, during an emergency, it is always easier to use short and concise messages instead of trying to anxiously explain the situation. And number two, imagine yourself as a visitor or a patient in a hospital, and all of a sudden people start running around, waving their hands, and screaming “Fire!” Your reaction? Yeah, even if you don’t faint, you’ll probably start panicking, getting in everyone’s way, and making things worse. To avoid this, professionals use a special code word that, while meaning virtually nothing to you, tells them exactly what’s happening and what actions should be taken. People like doctors, policemen, firefighters, and others have a whole list of code words for danger that they use when they don’t want to alert the public.
But codes are not only used for emergencies. Sometimes they just make communication easier and more understandable. For example, when pilots need to spell something over the radio when they are in the air, they use special alphabet code names. This way, they make sure there is no mistake just because someone misheard a letter.
Some code words have become common public knowledge through movies and TV shows. We collected a list of similar words for this article and added their explanations. How many did you recognize? Do you know any other code words? Share them with us in the comments.
#1
"There's an oil spill at..." or "Cardboard boxes lying on the ground."
Used between taxi drivers to warn others about a police speed detection unit.
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#2
10-33.
Used by police, meaning "Emergency, All Units Stand By" to clear the chatter and make the communication between officers easier, faster and clearer.
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11points
#3
Code Bravo.
It's used by many cruise ship lines to alert the crew about a fire or other serious emergency onboard, without alarming the passengers.
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10points
#4
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.
Code for a security threat aboard Royal Caribbean ships.
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#6
Code Silver.
It is used by hospital to alert about a violent threat, hostage situation or other scenario that would require a lockdown.
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9points
#7
Pan-Pan.
It's the international standard urgency signal to indicate that someone on a boat, a plane, an aircraft or in any other vehicle is having a situation that is urgent.
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9points
#8
Inspector Sands.
Used by public transport authorities in the United Kingdom, it's to alert staff to a fire alarm without evacuating the station.
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9points
#9
Gasworks.
Used by London taxi drivers while referring to Palace of Westminster.
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#10
Gardening.
During World War 2, Royal Air Force pilots used this code word to describe mine-laying operations.
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#11
Delta, Delta, Delta.
Commonly used to alert crew of hull damage, it can also indicate a possible bio-hazard scenario.
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#12
Star Code, Star Code, Star Code.
A code word for medical emergency on Celebrity ships.
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#13
Code Black.
In buildings covered by Australian Standard 4083, it means that there is a personal threat.
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8points
#14
"Catch you on the flip flop."
Used by truckers to say "see you on your return trip".
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#15
Banzai.
NATO brevity code word meaning information or a directive to execute launch and decide tactics.
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8points
#17
7500.
A number the pilots are trained to say in an event of a hijacking of the plane.
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7points
#18
Code Blue.
Hospitals often have different code words for specific scenarios, but "Code Blue" usually indicated a patient who has gone into a cardiac arrest.
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#19
Dr. Firestone.
Used by hospital staff to alert that there is a fire underway.
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#20
Code Grey.
In hospitals and other buildings covered by Australian Standard 4083, this code word means that there is a combative person without a weapon.
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7points