SIGNAL

Signal

A signal as referred to in communication systems, signal processing, and electrical engineering "is a function that conveys information about the behavior or attributes of some phenomenon". In the physical world, any quantity exhibiting variation in time or variation in space is potentially a signal that might provide information on the status of a physical system, or convey a message between observers, among other possibilities. The IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing elaborates upon the term "signal" as follows:

The above text is a snippet from Wikipedia: Signal (electrical engineering)
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

signal

Noun

  1. A sign made to give notice of some occurrence, command, or danger, or to indicate the start of a concerted action.
  2. An on-off light, semaphore, or other device used to give an indication to another person.
  3. (of a radio, TV, telephone, internet, etc) An electrical or electromagnetic action, normally a voltage that is a function of time that conveys the information of the radio or TV program or of communication with another party.
    My mobile phone can't get a signal in the railway station.
  4. A token; an indication; a foreshadowing; a sign.
  5. Useful information, as opposed to noise.
  6. A simple interprocess communication used to notify a process or thread of an occurrence.

Verb

  1. To indicate.

Adjective

  1. Standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement.
    a signal exploit; a signal service; a signal act of benevolence


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: signal
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

Need help with a clue?
Try your search in the crossword dictionary!