amber lightn.
/ˌambə ˈlʌɪt/, U.S. /ˌæmbər ˈlaɪt/ 1. A yellow or amber warning light used to instruct traffic; esp. the middle of three lights in a set of traffic lights, serving as a warning that the signal is about to change to red (stop) or green (go); = yellow light n. 1. Cf. red light n. 1, green light n.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > vehicular traffic > [noun] > traffic control > traffic lights > specific
red light1790
green arrow1875
amber light1896
yellow1900
yellow light1920
amber1929
stop light1930
stop sign1934
filter1939
red1940
green1962
1896 N.Y. Railroad Men June 290/1 Those who are agitating for a change desire to see introduced here the English system, which differs from the American in this: That the English use an amber light for caution, and a green light for ‘all clear’.
1922 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 10 Sept. 32/3 After the amber light has been displayed for a few seconds the lower box is lighted. Red and green lights are then used again to direct the flow of traffic.
1964 R. Gover Here goes Kitten 85 Some university student came whipping around.., trying to make the corner before the amber light changed.
2003 Highway Code for N. Irel. (rev. ed.) 46 When the amber light is flashing, you MUST give way to any pedestrians on the crossing. If the amber light is flashing and there are no pedestrians on the crossing, you may proceed with caution.
2. figurative and in figurative contexts. A cautionary indicator or signal; spec. (a) a warning of likely difficulties ahead, requiring heightened caution or vigilance; (b) qualified or tacit permission to proceed in a particular course of action; = yellow light n. 2.With sense 2(a) cf. figurative use of red light n. 1; with sense 2(b) cf. figurative use of green light n.
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the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > danger > warning of imminent danger or evil > [noun] > a warning sign, event, etc.
watchwordc1475
sea-mark1589
buoya1603
warning sign1628
red light1790
tocsin bell1823
tocsin1842
danger-signal1848
yellow light1940
warning bell1951
amber light1956
1956 Ann. Reg. 1955 421 The increase from 3 to 3½ per cent...was described as an ‘amber light’ of general warning.
1979 Chem. Week (Nexis) 4 July (International) 48 Millan gave the Mossorran complex an ‘amber light’ to go ahead, subject to a substantial range of conditions.
2005 G. Howells & S. Weatherill Consumer Protection Law (ed. 2) 406 The statistics alone should be enough to act as an amber light to the informed car-buying consumer.
2008 L. C. Gardner Long Road to Baghdad iii. 73 A lasting controversy over whether Ambassador Glaspie had given Hussein a green light, or even an amber light, to go ahead with his plans.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2019; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1896