| 单词 | highball signal |
| 释义 | > as lemmashighball signal 2. U.S. More fully highball signal. extracted from highballn. a. Railways slang. A signal to proceed given to a train driver, originally by raising a ball attached to a pole. Now chiefly historical.In quot. 1894 used as a signal of congratulations. ΘΚΠ society > travel > rail travel > railway system or organization > [noun] > types of signal system > specific signal red light1790 danger1841 danger-signal1848 line clear1869 highball signal1894 starter1895 red board1903 stop signal1923 identification light1931 1894 St. Louis (Missouri) Post-Disp. 29 Dec. 3/2 Railroad men along the line signal congratulations by giving ‘high ball’ at all points passed. 1896 Railway Conductor Apr. 272/1 Brother Kerber is still giving high ball signals in the P. R. R. yard. 1913 Pacific Reporter 179 193/1 Walking back northerly across the tracks.., [he] swung his lantern around his head, giving a signal which Bowles called a ‘highball’. 1940 Sat. Evening Post 16 Nov. 18 Picking up the highball as he drifted out of the freight yards, Engineer Joe De Nobel gave her the throttle. 2000 D. A. Holley Don't Shoot from Saddle i. 17 The merchant was still shovelling peanuts into the bag when I suddenly heard the highball signal, which meant the train was ready to go. b. figurative and in extended use. A signal, an alert. Also: a clear route; a straight course. Now rare. ΘΚΠ society > communication > indication > signalling > [noun] > signal > other specific signals return1835 go-ahead1849 highball signal1899 pan1927 go1933 alert1970 society > travel > means of travel > route or way > [noun] > straight or direct rightOE the (occasionally your, etc.) next wayc1330 forthright1609 highball1920 1899 Locomotive Firemen's Mag. Sept. 258/2 It was a laughable attempt at giving us the ‘high ball’ that they made, and showed that these daughters of Eve are not as well posted in the art of flirtation or coquetry as their white sisters. 1908 W. G. Davenport Butte & Montana beneath X-ray 267 Boobies so devoid of reason that it is necessary to give 'em the highball to get 'em in out of the rain. 1920 J. M. Hunter Trail Drivers of Texas I. 354 Mr. Butler and I told them [sc. cowboys]..to strike a high ball to town. 1936 Scribner's Mag. Aug. 82/2 When a man starts out to plan to do something,..what he is actually doing is giving the highball to misfortune. < as lemmas |
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