fog-signal
[f. fog n.2 + signal n.]
1. Naut. (See quot. 1867.)
| 1759 A. Holmes in Naval Chron. XXIV. 123 Came to an anchor with the fog signal on English Bank. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Fog-signals, the naval code established by guns to keep a fleet together, to tack, wear, and perform sundry evolutions..also, certain sounds made in fogs as warnings to other vessels. |
2. Railways. A detonator placed on the metals in foggy weather to guide drivers of trains.
| 1856 Engineer 536/1 The detonating fog signal. |
So fog-signalling vbl. n.; fog-signaller, fog-signalman, a man with fog-signals.
| 1883 F. S. Williams Our Iron Roads ix. (ed. 4) 295 The duty now devolving upon the fog-signalman is this. 1889 G. Findlay Eng. Railway 164 A system of what is called ‘fog-signalling’ has been devised. 1893 Westm. Gaz. 14 Nov. 6/3 Fog-signallers were placed along the railway lines. |