signal
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: sĭgʹnəl
ipa: /ˈsɪɡnəl/
rhymes: -ɪɡnəl
Forms: form: signals
form: signall
Etymology: From Old French segnal, seignal or Medieval Latin signāle; noun use of the neuter of Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum; verb use from 1805, as a shortened from signalize (1650s).
Senses: glosses: A sequence of states representing an encoded message in a communication channel.
glosses: Any variation of a quantity or change in an entity over time that conveys information upon detection.
examples: text: All obeyed / The wonted signal and superior voice / Of this great potentate.
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
text: Banner-Repeater signals tend to be provided in locations where drivers receive insufficient warning of the main signal, thereby effectively increasing the sighting distance for the main signal.
ref: 2020 December 30, David Allen, “Unusual signals...”, in Rail, page 64:
glosses: A sign made to give notice of some occurrence, command, or danger, or to indicate the start of a concerted action.
glosses: An on-off light, semaphore, or other device used to give an indication to another person.
examples: text: My mobile phone can't get a signal in the railway station.
topics: communications
electrical-engineering
engineering
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
telecommunications
telephone
telephony
glosses: An electromagnetic action, normally a voltage that is a function of time, that conveys the information of the radio or TV program or of communication with another party.
raw_tags: of a radio
glosses: An action, change or process done to convey information and thus reduce uncertainty.
examples: text: The weary sun […] / Gives signal of a goodly day to-morrow.
ref: c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:
text: There was not the least signal of the calamity to be seen.
ref: 1722, Daniel Defoe, A Journal of the Plague Year:
text: Did I get it wrong all along? / You were sending signals / You sent certain signals to me
ref: 2023, Róisín Murphy, “Hurtz So Bad”, in Hit Parade:
glosses: A token; an indication; a foreshadowing; a sign.
glosses: Useful information, as opposed to noise.
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: A simple interprocess communication used to notify a process or thread of an occurrence.
topics: biochemistry
biology
chemistry
microbiology
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
glosses: A signalling interaction between cells
Derived terms: sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: analog signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: ball signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: block signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: busy signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: cab signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: clock signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: colour light signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: danger signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: danger-signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: digital signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: directional signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: discrete-time signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: distant signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: distress signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: false signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: fast busy signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: fog signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: gang signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: ground signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: hand signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: home signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: hypersignal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: hyposignal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: mixed signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: phylosignal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: price signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: radio signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: railway signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: right-away signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: semaphore signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal aspect
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal boost
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal box
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signalbox
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal bridge
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal cabin
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal check
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal crayfish
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal fire
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal gantry
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal indication
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal lad
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signalless
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signalman
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal-noise ratio
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal passed at danger
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal phrase
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal pistol
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal post
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signalpost
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal processing
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal strength
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal timing
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal-to-noise
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal-to-noise ratio
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal tracer
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signal transduction
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: signalwoman
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: smoke signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: smoke-signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: somersault signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: starter signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: starting signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: stop signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: time reversal signal processing
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: time signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: time-signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: traffic signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: traffic signal box
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: turn signal
sense: Terms derived from signal (noun)
word: virtue signal
Related terms: signature
signet
tocsin