decode

«decode» in Mova's school dictionary: to change it back into normal words so you can understand it — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

verb (decode, decodes, decoded, decoding)

meaning for a pupil

1) To decode a secret message or code is to change it back into normal words so you can understand it. tree →

2) In reading, to decode a word is to work it out by turning letters into their sounds and blending them. tree →

3) To decode something is to understand a hidden meaning, like a strange look or difficult instructions. tree →

4) In computing, to decode is to change data back into sound, pictures or text. tree →

sense in the lessons

In phonics lessons «decoding» is sounding out words: c-a-t → cat. In maths and coding puzzles, you decode messages with a key (A=1, B=2). In history, the code-breakers of Bletchley Park decoded enemy messages. In everyday talk, you decode a teacher's hint.

examples

• Use the key to decode the secret message. tree →
• Young readers decode words by sounding them out. tree →
• Alan Turing's team helped decode enemy messages. tree →
• If A = 1 and B = 2, decode 3-1-20. tree →
• I could not decode my brother's messy handwriting. tree →
• The TV decodes the signal into pictures. tree →
• Can you decode what Mum's look meant? tree →

note

Regular verb: decoded. Opposite: encode. «De-» means «undo». In the puzzle above, 3-1-20 decodes to CAT.

In the corpora

• Accurate decoding means reading every sound in order; guessing means saying a word that just looks similar.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «decode» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.