smoke signal
7
4.8
- noun
- /smoʊk ˈsɪɡnəl/
:
señal de humo
- We used a fire to create a smoke signal that could be seen from miles away.
- send smoke signals
Where you know, they're still using smoke signals and other types of primitive communication.
- Where you know, they're still using smoke signals and other types of primitive communication.
- I don't care if it's on one of these or smoke signals on an Indian preserve.
- You communicate with Mark Strong with smoke signals, man.
Examples
-
Maybe we could light a fire and send smoke signals.
-
There were couriers, of course, and there was the smoke signal, first used by the ancient Greeks and Hebrews.
-
He'll be able to see our smoke signal four miles away.
-
Now, your cell phone is not going to work, but you can do smoke signals and ask me questions.
-
The smoke... The smoke signal's our best hope.
-
Lose this and we're sending smoke signals.
-
Better off sending smoke signals, man.
-
First, you'd send up a smoke signal.
-
Where you know, they're still using smoke signals and other types of primitive communication.
-
During the emergency, they relied on a smoke signal to communicate their location.
Synonyms
3
4.2
A fire lit to attract attention and show where people are
1
3.2
A light or fire used to send a message over a distance
1
8.3
A fire lit on a hill or tower to signal people far away
1
7.4
Sending messages by radio without using wires
How Clear
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a method of sending messages using patterned puffs of smoke' is directly and transparently derivable from combining 'smoke' (visible plume from combustion) with 'signal' (a cue used to communicate). This straightforward noun+noun composition is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Smoke signal comes from the old way of making short puffs or a steady column of smoke in a clear pattern to act as a signal people far away could see and understand. So today a 'smoke signal' means a visible 'message' or a sign for 'help'.