charlie

n. the standard word used to represent the letter 'C' when speaking over a radio or phone.

n. the international radiotelephony spelling alphabet code word for the letter 'C'.

“The pilot confirmed the coordinates as Alpha Bravo Charlie.”

“To avoid confusion during the storm, the dispatcher spelled out the vessel's name using the phonetic alphabet, starting with 'Charlie'.”

Technical

n. a person who acts in a silly or stupid way.

n. a foolish or silly person; often used in the phrase 'a right charlie'.

“I felt like a bit of a charlie when I realized I was wearing two different shoes.”

“He made a right charlie of himself by arguing with the referee over a decision that was clearly correct on the replay.”

British English · Informal

n. a slang name for the illegal drug cocaine.

n. a slang term for cocaine, derived from the initial letter 'C'.

“The police found a small bag of charlie in the suspect's car.”

“The documentary explored the devastating impact that the trade in charlie has had on local communities over the last decade.”

Slang

n. a term used by soldiers to refer to the enemy, especially during the Vietnam War.

n. a slang term for the Vietcong, derived from 'Victor Charlie' in the phonetic alphabet; by extension, any opposing military force.

“The soldiers were warned that Charlie might be hiding in the dense jungle ahead.”

“Veterans often recounted the psychological toll of fighting an elusive enemy they referred to simply as Charlie.”

American English · Slang