five-by-five meaning (informal): definition

five-by-five

adj

Etymology From radio communications phrase dating from the 1950s. The first five referred to a rating of signal clarity, the other to reception strength. See Signal strength and readability report on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Idiomatic, Informal Loud and clear.

"Hon, are you getting good data from us?" "Five-by-five." "Any sign of hostiles?" "Nope." "Can I get a few more syllables from you?"2019 December 13, Howard Tayler, Schlock Mercenary, archived from the original on 13 Feb 2025:
McInnis nodded, and Carter keyed the mic. "CAONCI-Site-43 calling Overwatch Command," he intoned in his best radio voice. Veiksaar smirked. "CAONCI-Site-43, Overwatch Command. Do you read?" The response came immediately, to the visible relief of all nine of them. Even Wettle. "Five by five, CAONCI-Site-43. Five by five."2024 September 28, Harry Blank, “Not Ready for Prime Time”, in Deadlined, →ISBN, page 602:

Idiomatic, Informal Fine; OK.

five-by-five

noun

Ball games, Basketball, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A performance in which a player accumulates five points in each of five statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks) in a single game.

Figuratively, Slang Someone whose body is roughly shaped like a square; a short and fat person.

"Yeah? No stuff? You, a date? Wad yuh know. What is she, a five-by-five?"1953, Warren Eyster, Ear From the Customary Skies, New York, N.Y.: Random House, page 335:
"The muscle was Oscar Huong, a real Mr. five-by-five. Father supposedly a black Marine boxing champion. The brains was Nguyen Trinh—or 'Nugey,' for short. He had no idea who his daddy was."1998, Jeremiah Healy, The Only Good Lawyer: A John Francis Cuddy Mystery, New York, N.Y. […]: Pocket Books, →ISBN, page 71: