Definition of be tango uniform

• dead - tits up. Etymology: "tango" is radio dispatcher code for the letter T, and "uniform" is radio dispatcher code for the letter "U."

  Tango uniform, man!

  Last edited on Jul 12 2005. Submitted by Larry K. from Lawrence, KS, USA on Jul 12 2005.

adjective

• out of service, broken, useless, inoperative. From "tits up".

  My car is Tango Uniform.

  Man, the photocopier is Tango Uniform again!

  • See more words with the same meaning: broken.

  Last edited on Mar 09 2011. Submitted by Coyote on Apr 05 2002.

• on one's back, passed out or sleeping.

  He got hammered last night and he's still tango uniform.

  Last edited on Mar 09 2011. Submitted by Coyote on Apr 05 2002.

• tits up. A (primarily military) phrase to describe something that is dead or out-of-commission, likely using the image of a dead rat or possum lifelessly floating on its back. Origin: "tango" is the NATO Phonetic Alpha for the letter T, and "uniform" is the NATO Phonetic Alpha for the letter "U."

  My computer went Tango Uniform yesterday.

  Last edited on Apr 02 2004. Submitted by m. r. from San Antonio, TX, USA on Apr 02 2004.

• Planes have an artificial horizon, which (back in the day) had an outline of the aircraft showing its attitude, on the display, against an image of the sky and ground. The outline had two bumps on the bottom, representing the retracted wheels (think of a DC-3). If these "tires" (being polite) were facing up toward the sky, the aircraft was upside down, generally Not A Good Thing.

  Last edited on Jul 02 2023. Submitted by Anonymous on Jul 02 2023.