Definitions for telegraph
ˈtɛl ɪˌgræf, -ˌgrɑftele·graph

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. telegraph, telegraphyverb

   apparatus used to communicate at a distance over a wire (usually in Morse code)

2. cable, telegraph, wireverb

   send cables, wires, or telegrams

WiktionaryRate this definition:4.5 / 2 votes

1. telegraphnoun

   An apparatus, or a process, for communicating rapidly between distant points, especially by means of established visible or audible signals representing words or ideas, or by means of words and signs, transmitted by electrical means.

2. telegraphverb

   To send a message by telegraph

3. telegraphverb

   To give nonverbal signals to another, as with gestures or a change in attitude.

   Her frown telegraphed her displeasure.

4. telegraphverb

   To show one's intended action unintentionally.

5. Etymology: From télégraphe.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. telegraph

   Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas pigeon post is not. Ancient signalling systems, although sometimes quite extensive and sophisticated as in China, were generally not capable of transmitting arbitrary text messages. Possible messages were fixed and predetermined and such systems are thus not true telegraphs. The earliest true telegraph put into widespread use was the optical telegraph of Claude Chappe, invented in the late 18th century. The system was used extensively in France, and European nations occupied by France, during the Napoleonic era. The electric telegraph started to replace the optical telegraph in the mid-19th century. It was first taken up in Britain in the form of the Cooke and Wheatstone telegraph, initially used mostly as an aid to railway signalling. This was quickly followed by a different system developed in the United States by Samuel Morse. The electric telegraph was slower to develop in France due to the established optical telegraph system, but an electrical telegraph was put into use with a code compatible with the Chappe optical telegraph. The Morse system was adopted as the international standard in 1865, using a modified Morse code developed in Germany in 1848.The heliograph is a telegraph system using reflected sunlight for signalling. It was mainly used in areas where the electrical telegraph had not been established and generally used the same code. The most extensive heliograph network established was in Arizona and New Mexico during the Apache Wars. The heliograph was standard military equipment as late as World War II. Wireless telegraphy developed in the early 20th century became important for maritime use, and was a competitor to electrical telegraphy using submarine telegraph cables in international communications. Telegrams became a popular means of sending messages once telegraph prices had fallen sufficiently. Traffic became high enough to spur the development of automated systems—teleprinters and punched tape transmission. These systems led to new telegraph codes, starting with the Baudot code. However, telegrams were never able to compete with the letter post on price, and competition from the telephone, which removed their speed advantage, drove the telegraph into decline from 1920 onwards. The few remaining telegraph applications were largely taken over by alternatives on the internet towards the end of the 20th century.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Telegraphnoun

   an apparatus, or a process, for communicating intelligence rapidly between distant points, especially by means of preconcerted visible or audible signals representing words or ideas, or by means of words and signs, transmitted by electrical action

2. Telegraphverb

   to convey or announce by telegraph

FreebaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Telegraph

   Telegraph is the debut album by actor, singer, and songwriter Drake Bell. The entire album was recorded by Drake and producer, Michael Corcoran as well as a few friends. The entire album was recorded in a simple home studio using a Digidesign Digi 002. The following record, It's Only Time was recorded at the time in a newly built studio named, The Backhouse. The album was released on September 27, 2005 and was issued by Backhouse Mike's label Backhouse Records and the now defunct label Nine Yards Records. Being an independently released production, it ran out of print, and was subsequently re-released on August 7, 2007. Still, it can be found in stores like F.y.e., Barnes & Noble and eBay.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Telegraph

   tel′e-graf, n. an apparatus for transmitting intelligible messages to a distance, esp. by means of electricity.—v.t. to convey or announce by telegraph.—ns. Tel′egraph-cā′ble, a cable containing wires for transmitting telegraphic messages; Tel′egrapher (or tē-leg′-), Tel′egraphist (or tē-leg′-), one who works a telegraph.—adjs. Telegraph′ic, -al, pertaining to, or communicated by, a telegraph.—adv. Telegraph′ically, in a telegraphic manner: by means of the telegraph.—ns. Tel′egraph-plant, an Indian leguminous plant, the small lateral leaflets of whose trifoliate leaves have a strange, spontaneous motion, jerking up and down (sometimes 180 times in a minute), as if signalling, and also rotate on their axes; Tel′egraphy (or tē-leg′-), the science or art of constructing or using telegraphs. [Gr. tēle at a distance, graphein to write.]

Matched Categories

1. • Telecommunicate
   • Telegraphy

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'telegraph' in Nouns Frequency: #2713

How to pronounce telegraph?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say telegraph in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of telegraph in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of telegraph in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of telegraph in a Sentence

1. Boris Johnson:

   One column a week was absorbing enough money to pay for what, five reporters ? the constant history of the Telegraph over the last 15 years has been cuts to editorial because the owners are insistent the company had to hit the profit target, And yet you've also got him sitting in the middle of your budget, this line item of £ 275,000 per year for one column a week.

2. David Sandberg:

   Being different in some way doesn't necessarily hurt you, but it is not an advantage, and so one has to know something about the factors that make a child more vulnerable for being rejected or neglected by peers. And those would be things that in a gradual, developmentally appropriate way that I would tell some families. But I would sort of telegraph that early on. If I have any value at all to the family, it's engaging them in a discussion that continues over time, as the child gets older. And then, over time, engaging the child in these conversations.

3. Steve Warren:

   I'm not going to tell you you're wrong, but I'm also not going to telegraph our punches.

4. Bruce Springsteen:

   ( We) didnt want to telegraph to the viewer what youre supposed to feel.

5. Steve Warren:

   I'm not going to telegraph anything.

Popularity rank by frequency of use