code

1 noun (C)

1 BEHAVIOUR a set of rules that tell people how to behave in their life or in certain situations: code of conduct/behaviour: Fry rejected the accepted code of behaviour and married one of his servants.

2 RULES/LAWS a set of written rules or laws: Each state in the US has a different criminal and civil code. | dress code (=rule about what clothes you must wear in a school, business etc)

3 code of practice a set of rules that people in a particular business or profession agree to obey: The film industry wants to produce a code of practice for employers.

4 SECRET MESSAGE a system of words, letters, or signs that you use instead of ordinary words when you are writing something that you want to keep secret: in code: Send your reports in code. | break/crack a code (=manage to understand a secret code)

5 SIGNS GIVING INFORMATION a set of numbers, letters, or signs that show what something is or give information about it: Most countries have some form of postal code that speeds mail delivery.

-see also: bar code, postcode, zip code

6 TELEPHONES dialling code, STD code BrE the group of numbers that come before a telephone number when you are calling from a different area; area code AmE: What's the code for Aberdeen?

7 COMPUTERS a set of instructions that tell a computer what to do

-see also: machine code, source code

8 SOUNDS/SIGNALS a system of sounds or signals that represent words or letters when they are sent by machine: a telegraphic code

-see also: Morse code 2 verb (T)

1 to put a set of numbers, letters, or signs on something to show what it is or give information about it: Product orders should be coded according to where they will be shipped.

2 to put a message in code so that it is secret

3 colour code to mark a group of things with different colours so that you can tell the difference between them

- coded adjective: a coded message