nød

Nød is a noun used in Danish and Norwegian to denote an emergency or distress. In everyday and official language, nød refers to a situation requiring swift action, often due to danger to life or health or to property. The term appears in common compounds such as nødsituation (emergency situation), nødnummer (emergency number), nødutstyr (emergency equipment), nødhjelp (emergency aid), and nødutgang (emergency exit).

In practice, nød is linked to civil protection, public safety, and disaster response. It appears in government plans, rescue services, and medical responses, as well as in discussions of preparedness and risk management. Closely related forms include nødetater or nødberedskap, which denote emergency services and preparedness measures, and nødsituasjoner in documentation describing urgent events.

The concept is cross-linguistic within the Scandinavian languages, though usage differs. In Norwegian and Danish, nød emphasizes an urgent, life-threatening or highly urgent condition; in Swedish, the related word nöd more often means need or distress, with nuanced usage depending on context. Spelling varies by language (nød with the ø symbol), but the core idea of a sudden, serious situation requiring immediate action remains parallel across these languages.

For international reference, the EU-wide emergency number 112 can be dialed from many countries to reach police, fire, or medical services in emergencies. Local emergency numbers may include 110, 113, or others depending on the country. Nød thus serves as a foundational concept in safety, rescue, and public health communications in Scandinavian contexts.