noun

telegraph

TEHL-ih-grahf

noun

A system, or the device, used to send coded messages over long distances using electrical signals.

"News once travelled by telegraph across continents in minutes."

verb

To unintentionally reveal an intention through an obvious sign, gesture, or expression.

"His nervous glance telegraphed that he was about to lie."

"The boxer telegraphed his punch, giving his opponent time to dodge."

How to Use Telegraph

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishOriginally a long-distance messaging system; now often used figuratively for accidentally revealing your intentions.

Common mistake

The figurative sense ("telegraph your intentions") is now far more common in everyday speech than the literal old communication device.

Common pairings

telegraph your intentions send a telegraph telegraph line

telegraphed past tense, telegraphs plural, telegraphs singular

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Can you complete this real example?

News once travelled by _____ across continents in minutes.

Borrowed from French telegraphe, from "tele-" ("far") plus "-graph" ("writing"), coined as a name for Claude Chappe's semaphore network.