Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Signal
1.
A sign made for the purpose of giving notice to a person of some occurence, command, or danger; also, a sign, event, or watchword, which has been agreed upon as the occasion of concerted action.
All obeyed
The wonted
Of this great potentate.
The wonted
signal
and superior voiceOf this great potentate.
Milton.
The weary sun . . .
Gives
Gives
signal
of a goodly day to-morrow. Shakespeare
There was not the least
signal
of the calamity to be seen. De Foc.
Sig′nal
,Adj.
[From
signal
, n.: cf. F. signalé
.] 1.
Noticeable; distinguished from what is ordinary; eminent; remarkable; memorable;
as, a
. signal
exploit; a signal
service; a signal
act of benevolenceAs
As erst in highest, behold him where he lies.
signal
now in low, dejected stateAs erst in highest, behold him where he lies.
Milton.
2.
Of or pertaining to signals, or the use of signals in conveying information;
as, a
. signal
flag or officerThe signal service
, a bureau of the government (in the United States connected with the War Department) organized to collect from the whole country simultaneous raports of local meteorological conditions, upon comparison of which at the central office, predictions concerning the weather are telegraphed to various sections, where they are made known by signals publicly displayed.
– Signal station
, the place where a signal is displayed; specifically, an observation office of the signal service.
Syn. – Eminent; remarkable; memorable; extraordinary; notable; conspicuous.
Sig′nal
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Signaled
or Signalled
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Signaling
or Signalling
.] 1.
To communicate by signals;
as, to
. signal
orders2.
To notify by a signals; to make a signal or signals to;
as, to
. signal
a fleet to anchorM. Arnold.
Webster 1828 Edition
Signal
SIG'NAL
,Noun.
Signals are particularly useful in the navigation of fleets and in naval engagements. There are day-signals, which are usually made by the sails, by flags and pendants, or guns; night-signals, which are lanterns disposed in certain figures, or false fires, rockets, or the firing of guns; fog-signals, which are made by sounds, as firing of guns, beating of drums, ringing of bells, &c. There are signals of evolution, addressed to a whole fleet, to a division or to a squadron; signals of movements to particular ships; and signals of service, general or particular. Signals used in an army are mostly made by a particular beat of the drum, or by the bugle.
SIG'NAL
,Adj.
Definition 2024
Signal
Signal
signal
signal
English
Alternative forms
Noun
signal (plural signals)
- A sign made to give notice of some occurrence, command, or danger, or to indicate the start of a concerted action.
- Milton
- All obeyed / The wonted signal and superior voice / Of this great potentate.
- Milton
- An on-off light, semaphore, or other device used to give an indication to another person.
- (of a radio, TV, telephone, internet, etc.) An electrical or 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.
- My mobile phone can't get a signal in the railway station.
- A token; an indication; a foreshadowing; a sign.
- Shakespeare
- The weary sun […] / Gives signal of a goodly day to-morrow.
- De Foe
- There was not the least signal of the calamity to be seen.
- Shakespeare
- Useful information, as opposed to noise.
- (computing, Unix) A simple interprocess communication used to notify a process or thread of an occurrence.
Antonyms
- (useful information): noise
Derived terms
Terms derived from signal (noun)
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Translations
sign made to give notice
|
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device to give indication
telecommunication: electric or electromagnetic action that conveys information
foreshadowing
|
See also
Verb
signal (third-person singular simple present signals, present participle (UK) signalling or (US) signaling, simple past and past participle (UK) signalled or (US) signaled)
- (transitive, intransitive) To indicate.
Derived terms
- missignal
- oversignal
- undersignal
Translations
to indicate
|
Adjective
signal (not comparable)
- Standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement.
- a signal exploit; a signal service; a signal act of benevolence
- Milton
- As signal now in low, dejected state / As erst in highest, behold him where he lies.
Related terms
- signature (adjective)
Anagrams
French
Etymology
Re-latinization of Old French segnal, from Medieval Latin signale, from Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation
Noun
signal m (plural signaux)
Related terms
Anagrams
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
From Medieval Latin signale
Noun
signal n (definite singular signalet, indefinite plural signal or signaler, definite plural signala or signalene)
- a signal
References
- “signal” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology
From Medieval Latin signale
Noun
signal n (definite singular signalet, indefinite plural signal, definite plural signala)
- a signal
References
- “signal” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
From German Signal, from Medieval Latin signale, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /sǐɡnaːl/
- Hyphenation: sig‧nal
Noun
sìgnāl m (Cyrillic spelling сѝгна̄л)
Declension
Declension of signal
References
- “signal” in Hrvatski jezični portal
Swedish
Pronunciation
Noun
signal c
- a signal
Declension
| Inflection of signal | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | |||
| Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
| Nominative | signal | signalen | signaler | signalerna |
| Genitive | signals | signalens | signalers | signalernas |
Vilamovian
Etymology
From Old French segnal, seignal or Medieval Latin signāle, noun use of the neuter of Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation
Noun
signal n (plural signale)