Code

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Code, n. [F., fr. L. codex, caudex, the stock or stem of a tree, a board or tablet of wood smeared over with wax, on which the ancients originally wrote; hence, a book, a writing.].

•  A body of law, sanctioned by legislation, in which the rules of law to be specifically applied by the courts are set forth in systematic form; a compilation of laws by public authority; a digest.  [1913 Webster]

  " The collection of laws made by the order of Justinian is sometimes called, by way of eminence. “The Code” Wharton."  Wharton.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any system of rules or regulations relating to one subject; as, the medical code, a system of rules for the regulation of the professional conduct of physicians; the naval code, a system of rules for making communications at sea means of signals.  [1913 Webster]

Code civil or Code Napoleon, a code enacted in France in 1803 and 1804, embodying the law of rights of persons and of property generally. Abbot.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Code, n. & v.
--n.
1 a system of words, letters, figures, or symbols, used to represent others for secrecy or brevity.
2 a system of prearranged signals, esp. used to ensure secrecy in transmitting messages.
3 Computing a piece of program text.
4 a a systematic collection of statutes, a body of laws so arranged as to avoid inconsistency and overlapping. b a set of rules on any subject.
5 a the prevailing morality of a society or class (code of honour). b a person's standard of moral behaviour.
--v.tr. put (a message, program, etc.) into code.

Idiom

code-book a list of symbols etc. used in a code. code-name (or -number) a word or symbol (or number) used for secrecy or convenience instead of the usual name.

Derivative

coder n.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. L CODEX

THESAURUS

Code

Aesopian language, Babel, Code Napoleon, Greek, Napoleonic code, Procrustean law, TelAutography, Teletype, Teletype network, Teletyping, Ten Commandments, Zeitgeist, argot, axiology, babble, behavioral norm, body of law, business ethics, canon, cant, capitulary, census, cipher, closed-circuit telegraphy, code of ethics, code of laws, code of morals, coded message, codification, commandment, convention, conventions, corpus juris, criterion, cryptoanalysis, cryptoanalytics, cryptogram, cryptograph, cryptographer, cryptography, customs, cypher, decalogue, dictum, digest, digest of law, double Dutch, duplex telegraphy, electricity, encipher, encode, encrypt, equity, ethic, ethical system, ethics, ethos, facsimile telegraph, form, formality, formula, formulary, garble, general principle, gibberish, gift of tongues, glossolalia, gobbledygook, golden rule, guideline, guiding principle, imperative, index, interrupter, inventory, invisible ink, jargon, jumble, jurisprudence, key, law, law of nature, laws, legal ethics, maxim, medical ethics, mitzvah, moral, moral climate, moral code, moral principles, morals, multiplex telegraphy, new morality, news ticker, noise, norm, norma, normative system, order of nature, ordinance, organization, orthodoxy, pandect, penal code, practices, prescribed form, prescription, principium, principle, principles, professional ethics, protocol, quadruplex telegraphy, railroad telegraphy, receiver, regulation, regulations, rubric, rule, scramble, secret language, secret writing, sender, set form, settled principle, simplex telegraphy, single-current telegraphy, slang, social ethics, sounder, standard, standards, standing order, stock ticker, structure, submarine telegraphy, sympathetic ink, system, table, table of organization, telegraphics, telegraphy, teleprinter, teletypewriter, teletypewriting, telex, tenet, ticker, traditions, transmitter, typotelegraph, typotelegraphy, universal law, value system, wire service, working principle, working rule

ROGET THESAURUS

Code

Precept

N precept, direction, instruction, charge, prescript, prescription, recipe, receipt, golden rule, maxim, rule, canon, law, code, corpus juris, lex scripta, act, statute, rubric, stage direction, regulation, form, formula, formulary, technicality, canon law, norm, order.

Legality

N legality, legitimacy, legitimateness, legislature, law, code, corpus juris, constitution, pandect, charter, enactment, statute, rule, canon, ordinance, institution, regulation, bylaw, byelaw, decree, ordonnance, standing order, plebiscite, legal process, form, formula, formality, rite, arm of the law, habeas corpus, fieri facias, jurisprudence, nomology, legislation, codification, equity, common law, lex, lex nonscripta, law of nations, droit des gens, international law, jus gentium, jus civile, civil law, canon law, crown law, criminal law, statute law, ecclesiastical law, administrative law, lex mercatoria, constitutionalism, constitutionality, justice, court, tribunal, judge, lawyer, attorney, legal counsel, legal, legitimate, according to law, vested, constitutional, chartered, legalized, lawful, statutable, statutory, legislatorial, legislative, regulatory, regulated, legally, in the eye of the law, de jure, ignorantia legis neminem excusat, ignorance of the law is no excuse, where law ends tyranny begins.