Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense decodes, present participle decoding, past tense, past participle decoded
1. verb
If you decode a message that has been written or spoken in a code, you change it into ordinary language.
All he had to do was decode it and pass it over. [VERB noun]
The secret documents were intercepted and decoded. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: decipher, crack, work out, solve More Synonyms of decode
2. verb
If you decode something such as a play or a work of art, or someone's behaviour, you manage to understand its meaning or what it implies, although this is not obvious.
You don't need a Ph.D to decode their work, but they do try to challenge audienceswith unconventional material. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: understand, explain, interpret, make sense of More Synonyms of decode
3. verb
A device that decodes a broadcast signal changes it into a form that can be displayed on a television screen.
About 60,000 subscribers have special adapters to receive and decode the signals. [VERB noun]
decode in British English
(diːˈkəʊd)
verb
1.
to convert (a message, text, etc) from code into ordinary language
2. computing
to convert (coded characters) from one form to another, as from binary-coded decimals to decimal numbers
Compare encode (sense 2)
3. electronics
to convert (a coded electrical signal) into normal analogue components
4.
to analyse and understand the construction of words and phrases, esp in a foreign language
Derived forms
decoder (deˈcoder)
noun
decode in American English
(diˈkoʊd; ˈdiˈkoʊd)
verb transitiveWord forms: deˈcoded or deˈcoding
1.
to translate (a coded message) into ordinary language
2.
to convert (data) by removing or reversing previously applied electronic code
Examples of 'decode' in a sentence
decode
You can begin to decode the encrypted signals in her mind.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The machine cut the time to decode an enemy signal from days to a matter of hours.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Humans send and decode scores of messages with the eyes.
Christianity Today (2000)
Like much in this show, viewers can only guess at how to decode its meanings.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
As with Enigma, flaws in the encryption allowed them to decode messages.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In other languages
decode
British English: decode VERB
If you decode a message that has been written or spoken in a code, you change it into ordinary language.
All he had to do was decode it and pass it over.
American English: decode
Brazilian Portuguese: decodificar
Chinese: 解码
European Spanish: descifrar
French: décoder
German: entschlüsseln
Italian: decifrare
Japanese: 解読する
Korean: 해독하다
European Portuguese: descodificar
Latin American Spanish: descifrar
1 (verb)
Definition
to convert from code into ordinary language
The secret documents were intercepted and decoded.
Synonyms
decipher
crack
He has finally cracked the code after years of painstaking research.
work out
solve
Their domestic reforms did nothing to solve unemployment.
interpret
unscramble
decrypt
descramble
Opposites
scramble
,
encode
,
encrypt
,
encipher
2 (verb)
You don't need to be a genius to decode his work.
Synonyms
understand
explain
He explained the process to us in simple terms.
interpret
The judge has to interpret the law as it's being passed.
make sense of
This is to help her make sense of past experiences.
construe
He may construe your approach as a hostile act.
decipher
I can't decipher these notes.
elucidate
He refused to elucidate the reasons for his decision.
throw light on
explicate (formal)
scholars who seek to explicate religious texts
Additional synonyms
in the sense of construe
Definition
to interpret the meaning of (something)
He may construe your approach as a hostile act.
Synonyms
interpret,
take,
read,
explain
in the sense of crack
Definition
to solve or decipher (a code or problem)
He has finally cracked the code after years of painstaking research.
Synonyms
solve,
work out,
resolve,
interpret,
clarify,
clear up,
fathom,
decipher,
suss (out) (slang),
get to the bottom of,
disentangle,
elucidate,
get the answer to
in the sense of elucidate
Definition
to make (something obscure or difficult) clear
He refused to elucidate the reasons for his decision.