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

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

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Salon

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

From BBC

Sir Arthur changed course of the Carpathia, which was on its way from New York for Europe, after the ship's wireless operator picked up the distress call "we've struck ice, come at once".

From BBC

The small boat started to flood on 10 November, causing the passengers to launch a distress call to the US Coast Guard, which then issued an emergency of its own.

From BBC

distress distressed

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