What is what does squawk mean?

In aviation, "squawk" refers to the transponder code that a pilot sets in the aircraft's transponder to communicate with air traffic control (ATC). The transponder sends a four-digit code to the ATC radar, which gives them essential information about the aircraft's altitude, position, and direction of flight. Squawking a specific code tells the ATC which aircraft is which on their radar screen and helps prevent collisions. In short, squawk is a term used to describe the code used by an aircraft to communicate with ATC.