code

A system of signs or instructions used to send, hide, or store information, including computer instructions.

• They wrote the message in code.
• The computer runs this code.
• Can you break their secret code?

Common phrases: secret code, source code, in code

A set of rules about how people should behave or what they are allowed to do.

• Our school has a dress code.
• She follows a strict moral code.
• The players broke the club’s code of conduct.

Similar words: rules, principles

Common phrases: moral code, code of conduct, dress code

A short group of letters or numbers that identifies something or lets you use it.

• Enter your code here.
• Each product has a different code.
• I forgot the code for the gate.

Similar words: identifier

Common phrases: access code, product code, area code, discount code

A complete, organized collection of laws about a particular subject.

• The criminal code defines this offence.
• They revised several sections of the civil code.
• The judge referred to the country’s penal code.

Similar words: body of law

Common phrases: civil code, criminal code, penal code

To write instructions that make a computer program work.

• I want to learn to code.
• She coded a simple game.
• Do you code in Python?

How to use it: code in something (He codes in several programming languages.)

Similar words: program

Common phrases: code an app, code in python, learn to code

To put information into a system of letters, numbers, or signs.

• We code each answer with a number.
• The researchers coded all the survey responses.
• How should we code missing information?

Similar words: encode

Opposites: decode

Common phrases: code something, code data, code responses, code a message