megaphonen.
/ˈmɛɡəfəʊn/, U.S. /ˈmɛɡəˌfoʊn/ 1. A device to aid hearing, consisting of two funnel-shaped receivers (‘listening funnels’) which collect sound waves and are connected to the ear by flexible tubes. Now historical.The device was invented by Thomas Edison, and included also a ‘speaking funnel’ that served as a megaphone in the subsequent sense (see quot. 1926 at sense 2a).
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > audibility > sound magnification or reproduction > [noun] > other amplifying devices
micracoustic1684
microphone1684
polyacoustic1684
resonator1864
resonance cavity1867
resonance chamber1870
aerophone1878
megaphone1878
sphygmophone1879
phonendoscope1895
auxetophone1904
stentorphone1921
1878 Sci. Amer. 39 111/3 Now, at last, we have a megaphone, which is to the ear almost what the telescope is to the eye.
1879 G. B. Prescott Speaking Telephone (new ed.) 561 One of the most interesting experiments made by Mr. Edison..is that of conversing through a distance of one and a half to two miles, with..a few paper funnels. These funnels constitute the megaphone.
2.
a. A funnel-shaped instrument that is spoken into at the smaller end to make the voice carry further. Also: a device of similar shape used to direct and amplify sound for recording.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > audibility > sound magnification or reproduction > [noun] > speaking trumpet or tube
trunk1546
speaking-trumpet1671
stentorophonic tube1686
whispering-trumpet1688
stentorian trumpet1690
trumpet1696
voice pipe1839
voice tube1839
whispering-tube1857
speaking-tube1889
megaphone1896
meg1937
loudhailer1941
bullhorn1955
1896 Boston Jrnl. 5 Nov. 6/4 The Society for the Suppression of Needless Noise should regulate the use of the megaphone.
1915 ‘Bartimeus’ Tall Ship i. 14 The Captain..raised the megaphone to his mouth. ‘Carry on!’ he shouted. ‘Every man for himself.’
1926 Wireless World 15 Sept. 399/2 This megaphone concentrated the sound waves on to a mechanical diaphragm to which was connected a cutting stylus resting on a revolving disc of soft wax.
1943 M. Flavin Journey in Dark 174 On the rubberneck wagons the fellow with the megaphone would point it out and say: ‘Residence of Stanley Adams, financier and banker’.
1991 R. Mistry Such Long Journey (1992) 10 The fundraisers shouted themselves hoarse through megaphones, exhorting people to be as selfless as the Jawans who were reddening the Himalayan snow with their precious blood.
b. figurative.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > delegated authority > one having delegated or derived authority > [noun] > one who speaks for or on behalf of another
whistlec1380
dictourc1440
orator1474
prolocutor?a1475
prelocutor1500
vauntparler1534
paranympha1538
mouth1563
speech1578
speaker1583
promotor1603
ambassador1611
suffragant1613
suffragator1618
mouthpiece1776
linguist1819
megaphone1909
porte-parole1911
spokesperson1972
1909 Daily Chron. 7 June 5/1 They felt sure that the British Press were not the paid megaphones of financial buccaneers.
1968 Listener 20 June 803/1 Tell Joanna she must stop being a megaphone for a negative tendency in a parent–child participating democracy.
1986 W. Weaver tr. U. Eco Trav. in Hyper Reality vi. 223 The attitude is observed by a category we could define..still better as Parusiacs, affected by the Fourth Eclogue Syndrome, megaphones of the golden age.
Compounds
C1. attributive (literal and figurative).
ΚΠ
1904 G. Ade True Bills 136 The Man with the Megaphone Voice cut no Ice whatsoever, for they had him sewed up.
1917 E. Wharton Summer ix. 138 From the main thoroughfares came the clanging of trolleys, the incessant popping of torpedoes, the jingle of street-organs, the bawling of megaphone men and the loud murmur of increasing crowds.
1938 Life 19 Sept. 46 (caption) He is no megaphone director and never lapses into displays of temperament.
1951 M. McLuhan Mech. Bride 138/1 Is there any role left for the individual in a world of collective megaphone personalities?
1988 Independent 21 Dec. 15/3 The advertisement's real purpose seems to have been to show that the Government was taking action—‘the megaphone solution’, as it has been dubbed by Digby Anderson.
C2.
megaphone diplomacy n. the making of public statements regarding a matter of dispute, rather than negotiating directly.
ΚΠ
1983 R. L. Strout in Christian Sci. Monitor 29 Apr. 22/3 Lord Carrington..said..‘The notion that we should face the Russians down in a silent war of nerves, broken only by bursts of megaphone diplomacy, is based on a misconception.’
1998 Irish News (Electronic ed.) 3 Apr. Such behind-the-scenes manoeuvrings conducted quietly and efficiently are also a welcome break from the raucous megaphone diplomacy witnessed between the UUP and the Irish government, in particular, over the last few days.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
megaphonev.
/ˈmɛɡəfəʊn/, U.S. /ˈmɛɡəˌfoʊn/ 1.
a. transitive. To communicate with by megaphone. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > manner of speaking > speak in a particular manner [verb (intransitive)] > speak loudly or angrily
thundera1340
raisec1384
to speak outc1515
jowlc1540
fulmine1623
to talk big1680
tang1686
to speak upa1723
to go ona1753
rip1828
whalea1852
yap1864
to rip and tear1884
megaphone1901
to pop off1914
foghorn1918
to sound off1918
loudmouth1931
woof1934
the mind > language > speech > manner of speaking > say in a particular manner [verb (transitive)] > utter loudly or angrily
yeiea1225
call?c1250
soundc1374
ringa1400
upcasta1400
barkc1440
resound?c1525
blustera1535
brawl1563
thunder1592
out-thunder?1611
peal1611
tonitruate1623
intonatea1631
mouth1700
rip1828
boom1837
explode1839
clamour1856
blare1859
foghorn1886
megaphone1901
gruff1925
loudmouth1931
woof1934
1901 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 30 Oct. 1/7 The Cufic..megaphoned the lightship asking to be reported.
b. intransitive. To communicate to by megaphone (figurative in quot. 1912).
ΚΠ
1912 J. H. Moore Ethics & Educ. 97 Long ago she [sc. a dog] and her associates were accustomed to megaphone to each other in this way.
1925 Amer. Jrnl. Sociol. 30 453 It has no more means of rescue in it than megaphoning to a drowning man who can't swim that he's out beyond his depth.
1932 E. Wharton Let. 31 May (1988) 551 It was only their guides megaphoning to them, & the responses were the tramp of their hurrying feet.
2. transitive. To utter or convey (as) through a megaphone.
ΚΠ
1920 Glasgow Herald 21 Apr. 8 The captain megaphoned an invitation to come on to the flag deck.
1963 A. Smith Throw out Two Hands iv. 46 Aldermanic individuals had to be given captive ascents on a long rope while they megaphoned their impressions to the gaping faces down below.
1995 Empire Nov. 91/1 The job may not comprise that standard duties of standing around in a field megaphoning orders, but Mike Gabriel and Eric Goldberg still found they had their hands full.
Derivatives
ˈmegaphoned adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > manner of speaking > [adjective] > loud or angry > of speech
wratlinga1661
syrmatic1716
thundered1823
thunder-pealed1878
megaphoned1927
1927 H. G. Wells in Sunday Express 2 Oct. 12/7 The impressive gatherings.., the megaphoned and broadcast speeches.
1982 T. Keneally Schindler's Ark xvi. 153 Danka and Mrs. Dresner heard from around the corner of Dabrowski..the megaphoned roaring of Oberscharführers.
ˈmegaphoning adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > manner of speaking > [adjective] > loud or angry
loud-mouthed1602
loud-tongued1622
blusterous1663
loudmouth1668
noisy1675
obstropolous1748
loud-spoken1882
megaphoning1901
chopsy1974
1901 R. C. Lehmann Anni Fugaces 70 The air grows blue with loud reproaches Hurled at the crews by megaphoning coaches.
1994 Scotsman 22 Nov. 20/6 The annual National Playwrights conference is the scene of megaphoning ‘brawls’ on minefield issues like the writing of Aboriginal parts by white writers.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1878
v.1901