wigwag
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈwɪɡwaɡ/
ipa: /ˈwɪɡˌwæɡ/
homophone: WGWAG (General American)
Forms: form: wigwags
form: wig-wag
Etymology: From wig (“to wag, waggle”) + wag (“to swing”). The noun is derived from the verb.
Senses: examples: text: The wig-wag [an instrument measuring solar radiation] utilizes the principle that the gaseous phase of a volatile liquid expands as a result of the conversion of radiant energy to sensible heat. It requires only a reading of the count at whatever interval the observer chooses.
ref: 1968, Jen-Hu Chang, “Introduction”, in Climate and Agriculture: An Ecological Survey, Chicago, Ill.: Aldine Pub. Co., →OCLC; republished New Brunswick, N.J.: Aldine Transaction, Transaction Publishers, 2009, →ISBN, page 7:
text: The most common failure on the older models [of washing machines] was a $12 part called a "wig-wag" – that's right, a "wig-wag" – it was a simple part that kept the washer washing and could be replaced in five minutes or less.
ref: 2007, M. David Chambers, “Beaversovin & the Lifetime Guarantee”, in The Best is Yet to Come, Indianapolis, Ind.: Dog Ear Publishing, →ISBN, page 9:
glosses: Any of a number of mechanical or electrical devices which cause a component to oscillate between two states.
examples: text: Framed by the pulsing wig-wag lights the painted the stone walls and arched windows of the front of the Gallatin Gateway Inn in vivid reds and blues, Cody Hoyt tossed the duffel he'd saved into the back of his Ford.
ref: 2011 August, C[harles] J[ames] Box[, Jr.], chapter 21, in Back of Beyond, New York, N.Y.: Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press, →ISBN, page 209:
glosses: Any of a number of mechanical or electrical devices which cause a component to oscillate between two states.
A device that causes one or more lights to flash in a preset pattern.
examples: text: I parked near a big sound stage building; lamped a red wig-wag signal rocking back and forth to indicate a scene being shot inside. This meant no admittance until the cameras had stopped grinding. Presently a bell jingled and the wig-wag died.
ref: 1943 March, Robert Leslie Bellem, “Russian Run-around”, in Dan Turner, Hollywood Detective, Wilmington, Del.: Culture Publications, →OCLC; republished as Russian Run-around, [Prineville, Or.]: eStar Books, 2014, →ISBN:
text: WIG-WAG The red flashing light outside of a stage indicating that filming is going on.
ref: [2002, Michael G. Uva, Sabrina Uva, “WIG-WAG”, in Uva’s Basic Grip Book, updated edition, Boston, Mass.: Focal Press, →ISBN:
topics: broadcasting
film
media
television
glosses: Any of a number of mechanical or electrical devices which cause a component to oscillate between two states.
A device that causes one or more lights to flash in a preset pattern.
A red light near the door of a sound stage that flashes to indicate that cameras are rolling inside the stage and that all people and vehicles outside should remain quiet; a red-eye.
examples: text: Rogan hit the wigwag flashers on the headlights of the Crown Vic and made it to the circular driveway at the Sixth Avenue entrance of the Hilton in four minutes flat.
ref: 2009, Alafair Burke, City of Fear, London: Avon, →ISBN:
text: But it was equipped with a siren; blue lights concealed in the front grille; wig-wag, or blinking lights, in the rear; and a blue light on the front dashboard.
ref: 2009, Dick Lehr, The Fence: A Police Cover-up Along Boston’s Racial Divide, Pymble, N.S.W.; New York, N.Y.: HarperCollins, →ISBN, page 10:
text: […] Claxton flipped on the flashing red and blue wigwag lights on his patrol car's front bumper. […] And the truck, apparently responding to the flashing wigwag lights, edged farther off the pavement onto the shoulder and stopped; properly, cooperatively, deceptively.
ref: 2013 March, Dan Schultz, Dead Run: The Murder of a Lawman and the Greatest Manhunt of the Modern American West, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Press, →ISBN, page 28:
topics: road
transport
glosses: Any of a number of mechanical or electrical devices which cause a component to oscillate between two states.
A device that causes one or more lights to flash in a preset pattern.
A device used to cause lamps installed on a motor vehicle, especially an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance or police car, to flash as a warning.
examples: text: Travelling home about half past ten o'clock on a recent night he had seen a motor-car which had been driven into the cattle-stop on the railway-line. It was a bad night from a visibility point of view, and the wig-wag was not operating, as no train was in sight. However, before the motor-car was extricated a train passed within three inches of it.
ref: 1935 September 25, W[alter] Nash (Hutt), “[House of Representatives.] Adjournment: Questions”, in New Zealand. Parliamentary Debates. Fifth Session, Twenty-fourth Parliament. Legislative Council and House of Representatives. … Comprising the Period from August 29 to September 26, 1935, volume 242, Wellington: By authority; G. H. Loney, Government Printer, →OCLC, page 625:
text: The Seacliff train pulled out of Brighton station and gathered speed as it approached the level crossing with its wig-wag signal warning signal ringing out. Then the train's whistle blew deperately because, standing alone at the crossing, was a boy aged about three and a half. The little boy was I, was me, and I was engulfed by the noise and enthralled by the train's power.
ref: 2002, Ian [Victor] Hansen, “The First Problem”, in The Naked Fish: An Autobiography of Belief, Kent Town, South Australia: Wakefield Press, →ISBN, page 1:
topics: road
transport
glosses: Any of a number of mechanical or electrical devices which cause a component to oscillate between two states.
A device that causes one or more lights to flash in a preset pattern.
A device with multiple (often two), alternately flashing lights which is installed at a railway level crossing (or grade crossing), a movable bridge, etc., to warn vehicular traffic to stop.
examples: text: The wigwag is used for polishing the shoulders of pinions, pinion leaves, staffs and pivots, and for numerous other operations. […] These tools are used extensively in all the American watch factories.
ref: 1894, Henry G. Abbott, “WIGWAG”, in Abbott’s American Watchmaker and Jeweler. An Encyclopedia for the Horologist, Jeweler, Gold and Silversmith, Containing […] Receipts and Formulas Compiled from the Best and Most Reliable Sources. Complete Directions for Using All the Latest Tools, Attachments and Devices for Watchmakers and Jewelers, Chicago, Ill.: G. K. Hazlitt & Co., →OCLC; republished as Abbott’s American Watchmaker: An Encyclopedia for the Horologist, Jeweler, Gold and Silversmith, New York, N.Y.: Skyhorse Publishing, 2012, →ISBN, page 344:
glosses: Any of a number of mechanical or electrical devices which cause a component to oscillate between two states.
An instrument that creates a wigwagging motion for polishing.
examples: text: Some vehicles with air brakes also use a wigwag low pressure indicator. This is mounted above the windshield. If the air pressure drops below 60 psi, the signal arm will drop down across the windshield. You can't reset it (push it back out of view) until air pressure is brought above 60 psi. Don't operate the vehicle with the signal arm lever down.
ref: 2010, Mike Byrnes and Associates, “Air Brakes”, in Barron’s CDL: Commercial Driver’s License Truck Driver’s Test, 3rd edition, Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barron's Educational Series, →ISBN, part 2, page 230, column 2:
topics: road
transport
glosses: Any of a number of mechanical or electrical devices which cause a component to oscillate between two states.
A warning device inside the cabin of a truck that causes a mechanical arm to drop into view when the pressure in the airbrake system of the truck becomes too low for the brakes to be reliably deployed.
examples: text: One of the first standard types of automated visual grade-crossing warning was the automated flagman, a signal commonly known as a "wigwag." According to Santa Fe documents, the wigwag was adopted as a standard crossing device by the American Railway Association in 1923. A standard wigwag is actuated by a track circuit and consists of a paddle with a red lamp that gracefully swings back and forth in a horizontal pattern when a train approaches. A wigwag is usually accompanied by a bell.
ref: 2003, Brian Solomon, “Grade Crossing Signals”, in Railroad Signaling, St. Paul, Minn.: Voyageur Press, →ISBN, page 147, column 1:
topics: rail-transport
railways
transport
glosses: Any of a number of mechanical or electrical devices which cause a component to oscillate between two states.
A grade crossing signal with a swinging motion used to indicate an approaching train.
examples: text: Boy Scouts and others interested in visual signaling can practice indoors with this miniature wigwag sender.
ref: 1932 August, Hubert E. Mishler, “Tiny Wigwag Machine Teaches Signaling with Flag”, in Raymond J. Brown, editor, Popular Science Monthly, volume 121, number 2, New York, N.Y.: Popular Science Publishing Co., →OCLC, page 71:
topics: government
military
politics
war
glosses: A signal sent by waving a flag to and fro.