DOS

What Does DOS Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

DOS most commonly means "Disk Operating System," "Denial of Service [Attack]," or "Dad Over Shoulder."

Disk Operating System

DOS is an acronym meaning "Disk Operating System," which refers to a number of computer operating systems that are operated by using the command line. The term DOS is used to describe several very similar command-line systems, including MS-DOS and FreeDOS. MS-DOS dominated the PC and PC Compatible market until about 2001, including the partially MS-DOS-based Microsoft Windows 95, 98 and Millennium Edition.

Denial of Service [Attack]

DOS can also mean "Denial of Service [Attack]", which is an acronym for a type of cyber-attack in which the perpetrator seeks to make a machine or network resource unavailable to its intended users, typically by flooding the targeted machine or resource with superfluous requests in an attempt to overload systems and prevent legitimate requests from being fulfilled.

Dad Over Shoulder

DOS can also mean "Dad Over Shoulder," which is an acronym used to indicate that the sender's father is in the room with them and that, therefore, the subject of conversation should remain "parent friendly" until further notice. See Also:

• BOS (Boyfriend Over Shoulder)
• GOS (Girlfriend Over Shoulder)
• HOS (Husband Over Shoulder)
• MOS (Mum Over Shoulder)
• WOS (Wife Over Shoulder)

Image for DOS

When I write DOS, I mean this:

"Disk Operating System"

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

DOS
Definition:	Disk Operating System
Type:	Acronym
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of DOS in Sentences

Here are examples of DOS in conversations:

• Bill: Windows 10 is amazingly simple to use!
• Steve: I prefer the old days, when we had DOS.
  (Here, DOS means "Disk Operating System.")

• Wendy: All of our systems are down. It's like they are being overwhelmed by user requests.
• Yvonne: I think we are being hit with a DOS attack.
  (Here, DOS means "Denial Of Service [Attack]".)

• Colin: Can you get your brother's ID to buy the beer for the party on Friday?
• Kath: DOS... Are you still going to the game on Friday night?.
  (Here, DOS means "Dad Over Shoulder.")

An Academic Look at DOS

DOS is an acronym (i.e., an abbreviation spoken like a word). Acronyms differ from initialism abbreviations, which are pronounced using their individual letters. The acronym, DOS is pronounced as it is written. When it signifies "Disk Operating System" or "Denial of Service," DOS is usually spoken like a word. However, when it signifies "Dad Over Shoulder" it is not normally used in spoken conversation. In that case, the acronym DOS is more usually used for efficiency in writing and not efficiency in speech.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have said something like "Watch Out" instead of DOS ("Dad Over Shoulder").

Second Definition for DOS

This meaning was also noted:

DOS
Definition:	Denial of Service [Attack]
Type:	Acronym and Abbreviation
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Third Definition for DOS

This meaning was also noted, but it is not common:

DOS
Definition:	Dad Over Shoulder
Type:	Acronym and Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Teenagers

Example of DOS Used in a Text

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