signallersignalern.
/ˈsɪɡnələ/, /ˈsɪɡnl̩ə/, U.S. /ˈsɪɡnələr/ 1.
a. A person who makes, operates, or uses signals, esp. in the army or navy, or on a railway.
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society > communication > indication > signalling > [noun] > person who
signalist1834
signaller1845
fuglewoman1868
sender1904
society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > soldier with special duty > [noun] > signaller or musician
waitc1325
trumpeter1497
drum?1535
drum major1589
trumpettier1609
drum-major general1676
bugler1792
fife-major1802
pipe major1816
Bugle Major1844
signaller1845
bugle boy1848
trumpet-major1855
bugleman1859
bunting-tosser1905
buzzer1915
music1915
1845 Chambers's Edinb. Jrnl. 7 June 354/1 Hoping to put the novice in a similar difficulty, he began signalling in return as fast as he—an experienced signaller—was able.
1863 R. F. Littledale Offices Service-bks. Holy Eastern Church 209 About the hour of Dawn all the signallers sound.
1887 Times 25 Aug. 4/4 The signallers with the column were very busy.
1914 ‘I. Hay’ Lighter Side School Life iv. 114 A prefect..awarded both signallers fifty lines for creating a disturbance in Preparation.
1976 R. Massey When I was Young xix. 139 Instantly there was a shattering blow. I was on my face, right up against a signaller who had been sitting at the far end of the shelter.
2002 Daily Tel. 29 May 10/4 Railtrack is to conduct an inquiry after a signaller sent a crowded Eurostar train in the wrong direction as it approached London.
b. Cards. A player who uses signals.
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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > [noun] > card-player > signaller
signaller1880
1880 ‘Pembridge’ Whist, or Bumblepuppy? v. 36 His partner..led the queen of trumps, killed the king in the second hand, and the signaller then proceeded to wait about.
1909 Black & White 9 Jan. 68/3 When used in a plain suit, it changes its meaning, showing the exhaustion of the suit in the signaller's hand.
1979 V. Mollo Masters & Monsters xx. 215 An impeccable signaller, that Walrus.
1999 Times (Nexis) 21 July Playing with a Neanderthal signaller like me he should have switched to a low diamond after winning the ace of spades.
2. A device used to make signals.
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society > communication > indication > signalling > [noun] > thing or apparatus used for
signal1687
disc1856
signaller1872
shape1879
1872 O. Shipley Gloss. Eccl. Terms 108 A hand-clapper or signaller used as a bell.
1894 Westm. Gaz. 15 Oct. 7/2 An automatic signaller, which will..save fogmen's lives and be always ready.
1921 Pop. Mech. Aug. 231/2 (caption) The Page-End Signaler Attached to a Typewriter.
1946 Boys' Life Jan. 16/1 Make up a ‘signaller’ from an old door-buzzer.
1994 Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk) (Nexis) 4 Aug. c5 This system, which involves putting a electronic signaler in each car, will be used this weekend but not for official scoring.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1845