(~s, ~ling, ~led)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
Note: in AM, use '~ing', '~ed'
1.
A ~ is a gesture, sound, or action which is intended to give a particular message to the person who sees or hears it.
They fired three distress ~s...
As soon as it was dark, Mrs Evans gave the ~...
You mustn’t fire without my ~.
N-COUNT
2.
If you ~ to someone, you make a gesture or sound in order to send them a particular message.
The United manager was to be seen frantically ~ling to McClair...
He stood up, ~ling to the officer that he had finished with his client...
She ~led a passing taxi and ordered him to take her to the rue Marengo.
VERB: V prep/adv, V that, V n, also V
3.
If an event or action is a ~ of something, it suggests that this thing exists or is going to happen.
Kurdish leaders saw the visit as an important ~ of support...
= sign
N-COUNT: with supp
4.
If someone or something ~s an event, they suggest that the event is happening or likely to happen.
She will be ~ling massive changes in energy policy...
The outcome of that meeting could ~ whether there truly exists a political will to begin negotiating.
= indicate
VERB: V n, V wh
5.
A ~ is a piece of equipment beside a railway, which indicates to train drivers whether they should stop the train or not.
N-COUNT
6.
A ~ is a series of radio waves, light waves, or changes in electrical current which may carry information.
...high-frequency radio ~s.
N-COUNT