# Definition of 5x5...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-5x5/64258>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 3, 2001, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-5x5/64258 "2001-05-03T20:27:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ether\_angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/43a26b/32.png) [@ether\_angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ether_angel)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-5x5/64258/1 "2001-05-03T20:27:45Z")

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What does the term 5x5 mean? I heard it used in a sentence once and have been confused ever since. Ex: “How’s it going?” “Everything’s 5 by 5.” Someone please help me!!!

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**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-5x5/64258/2 "2001-05-03T20:43:48Z")

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Five by five, or “five by,” means “I’m hearing you loud and clear.” It can also mean, OK or everything’s perfect. These definitions are from “The Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang,” Vol. I, A-G, by J.E. Lightner.

First time I heard it was in Aliens, a line by the pilot, MIra: “We’re in the pipe, five by five.”

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**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-5x5/64258/3 "2001-05-03T21:02:01Z")

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It comes from radio communications. This is from The Mavens’ Word of the Day entry on [five by five](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20000323):

> [@](#):
>
> Five by five is a radio communications expression that means ‘loud and clear’. One of the fives represents the S units of reception strength. The other five is a rating of the signal clarity. Five by five is a good, clear signal. The radio use of this expression goes back to the 1950s: “‘All right, testing, one-two-three-four. . .’ ‘Five by five, Mr. Holloran!’” (Hunter, Blackboard Jungle, 1954).