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To give the signal for, by beat of drum; to sound by beat of drum; as, to beat an alarm, a charge, a parley, a retreat; to beat the general, the reveille, the tattoo. See Alarm, Charge, Parley, etc. To beat down, to haggle with (any one) to secure a lower price; to force down. [Colloq.] -- To beat into, to teach or ins…

sulphur, and antimony, and producing a sustained and vivid colored light, used in making signals and in pyrotechnics; -- called also blue light. -- Bengal stripes, a kind of cotton cloth woven with colored stripes. See Bengal, 3. -- Bengal tiger. (Zoöl.). See Tiger.

d into sections of three or four miles, and trains are so run by the guidance of electric signals that no train enters a section or block before the preceding train has left it.

s, and trains are so run by the guidance of electric, or combined electric and pneumatic, signals that no train enters a section or block until the preceding train has left it, as in absolute blocking, or that a train may be allowed to follow another into a block as long as it proceeds with excessive caution, as in per…

mposition which burns with a brilliant blue flame; -- used in pyrotechnics and as a night signal at sea, and in military operations. -- Blue mantle (Her.), one of the four pursuivants of the English college of arms; -- so called from the color of his official robes. -- Blue mass, a preparation of mercury from which i…

ng on boots. -- Boots and saddles (Cavalry Tactics), the trumpet call which is the first signal for mounted drill. -- Sly boots. See Slyboots, in the Vocabulary.

A thin woolen stuff, used chiefly for flags, colors, and ships' signals.

A signal, as on a drum, bugle, trumpet, or pipe, to summon soldiers or sailors to duty.

e is a long reed often ornamented with feathers. Smoked the calumet, the Peace pipe, As a signal to the nations. Lowgfellow.

A pasteboard shell used in signaling. It is filled with a composition which makes a brilliant light when it explodes. Farrow.

Conveying a caution, or warning to avoid danger; as, cautionary signals.

ar telephone, a portable radio- telephone transmitting and receiving the radio-telephonic signals from one of a group of transmitter-receiver stations so arranged that they provide adequate signal contact for such telephones over a certain geographical area. The area within which one transmitter may service such portab…

A signal made for a parley by beat of a drum. They beat the chamade, and sent us carte blanche. Addison.

n, or towards, an enemy; a sudden onset or attack, as of troops, esp. cavalry; hence, the signal for attack; as, to sound the charge. Never, in any other war afore, gave the Romans a hotter charge upon the enemies. Holland. The charge of the light brigade. Tennyson.

A cord by which a person in a carriage or horse car may signal to the driver.

An instrument signaling the correct time to distant points by electricity.

f physicians; the naval code, a system of rules for making communications at sea means of signals. Code civil or Code Napoleon, a code enacted in France in 1803 and 1804, embodying the law of rights of persons and of property generally. Abbot.

Mutually contrived or planned; agreed on; as, concerted schemes, signals. Concerted piece (Mus.), a composition in parts for several voices or instrument, as a trio, a quartet, etc.

Over a signal number, when it refers to the signal number of an officer in the Annual Navy Register.

A peculiar whistling sound made by the Australian aborigenes as a call or signal. [Written also cooie.]