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Signal vs Pointer - What's the difference?

signal | pointer | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between signal and pointer

is that signal is a sign made to give notice of some occurrence, command, or danger, or to indicate the start of a concerted action while pointer is anything that points or is used for pointing.

As a verb signal

is to indicate.

As an adjective signal

is standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement.

signal

English

(wikipedia signal)

Alternative forms

* signall

Noun

(en noun)
  • A sign made to give notice of some occurrence, command, or danger, or to indicate the start of a concerted action.
  • * Milton
    • All obeyed / The wonted signal and superior voice / Of this great potentate.
  • An on-off light, semaphore, or other device used to give an indication to another person.
  • (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.
  • A token; an indication; a foreshadowing; a sign.
  • * Shakespeare
    • The weary sun / Gives signal of a goodly day to-morrow.
  • * De Foe
    • There was not the least signal of the calamity to be seen.
  • Useful information, as opposed to noise.
  • (computing, Unix) A simple interprocess communication used to notify a process or thread of an occurrence.

    • Antonyms

    * (useful information) noise

    Derived terms

    * signal box * signalman * signalwoman * smoke signal

    See also

    * tocsin

    Verb

  • To indicate.

    • Adjective

    (-)
  • Standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement.
    • a signal''' exploit; a '''signal''' service; a '''signal act of benevolence
  • * Milton
    • As signal now in low, dejected state / As erst in highest, behold him where he lies.

    Related terms

    * (adjective)

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----

    pointer

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Anything that points or is used for pointing.
  • A needle-like component of a timepiece or measuring device that indicates the time or the current reading of the device.
  • A breed of hunting dog.
  • (programming) A variable that holds the address of a memory location where a value can be stored.
  • (computing) An icon that indicates the position of the mouse; a cursor.
  • A tip, a bit of advice (usually plural.)
    • The instructor gave me some pointers on writing a good paper.
  • (in combinations) Something worth a given number of points.
    • a ten-pointer
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=September 18 , author=Ben Dirs , title=Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=After another penalty miss, Kvirikashvili finally found the target on 27 minutes before Flood hit back with a three-pointer of his own.}}

    Synonyms

    * (sense, teacher's pointer) fescue * (of a timepiece) hand * (of a measuring device) needle * (icon) mouse pointer * (programming) reference

    See also

    * (programming) dereference, address

    Derived terms

    * null pointer * white pointer * dangling pointer

    See also

    * *

    Anagrams

    * ----