distress call

noun

a prearranged communication code sign indicating that the sender is in a situation of peril, distress, or the like, as SOS, Mayday, etc. Compare distress signal ( def 1 ).
a communication prompted by or indicating distress:
The hospital sent out distress calls for all available stocks of the antitoxin.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of distress call¹

First recorded in 1910–15

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Mr Inman added that air traffic control attempted to contact the pilot several times but received no response or distress call.

From

The Sheriff’s Department received a distress call at 3:45 p.m., but Curtis was already dead by the time deputies arrived, according to sheriff’s spokesperson Elise Soviar.

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After more than 30 hours without receiving a distress call, the Coast Guard announced it had paused the search.

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The pilots sent a distress call around the time Russian air defense was responding to a Ukrainian drone attack.

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Besigye’s team in Uganda started relaying distress calls after their leader's mobile phones went unanswered.

From

distress distressed

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