Browsing page 1 of new words for October 17, 1998

adjective

• fine, good, okay.

  Hey, I'm five by five, but you need to chill out.

  I'm five-by-five as always.

  • See more words with the same meaning: good, okay, cool, awesome, fun.

  Last edited on Aug 12 2011. Submitted by Tamara from Arlington, VA, USA on Oct 17 1998.

• with everything prepared, in order.

  Person 1: Do we have everything we need for the party tonight?
  
  Person 2: Yeah, we're five by five.

                                                                                                                                                                                   
  
  Citation from "All the Right Friends", Covert Affairs (TV), Season 2 Episode 4 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.

  • See more words with the same meaning: ready, prepared.

  Last edited on Aug 12 2011. Submitted by Brie D. from Chicago, IL, USA on Jan 27 2003.

notes

• Popularized in the late 1990s - early 2000s by the TV program Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

  Last edited on Aug 12 2011. Submitted by Tamara from Arlington, VA, USA on Oct 17 1998.

origin

• The term comes from analog radio communications. A radio sender would ask a receiver to rate his radio signal. Two numbers were used, the first representing signal strength and the second representing signal clarity. Each were on a scale of 1 to 5. "5 by 5" then is the highest signal strength and the best quality.

  Last edited on Nov 21 2012. Submitted by Steve on Sep 13 2008.