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Telegraph vs Semaphore - What's the difference?

telegraph | semaphore |

As nouns the difference between telegraph and semaphore

is that telegraph is (lb) 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 while semaphore is .

As a verb telegraph

is to send a message by telegraph.

telegraph

English

Noun

(wikipedia telegraph) (en noun)
  • (lb) 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.
  • *
  • *:The Bat—they called him the Bat.. Most lone wolves had a moll at any rate—women were their ruin—but if the Bat had a moll, not even the grapevine telegraph could locate her.

    • Derived terms

    * bush telegraph * jungle telegraph

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To send a message by telegraph
  • To give nonverbal signals to another, as with gestures or a change in attitude.
    • Her frown telegraphed her displeasure.
  • To show one's intended action unintentionally.

    • semaphore

    English

    (wikipedia semaphore)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any visual signaling system with flags, lights, or mechanically moving arms.
  • * 2008 , Gene Weingarten, Old Dogs: Are the Best Dogs , Simon & Schuster, page 4 [http://books.google.com/books?id=GOUMoGLf9tYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=gene+weingarten&source=bl&ots=BgRdWbPGYP&sig=gd-Mgu3cNEgerci0w2psNOA6ZjM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GDIVUNqbDcOYqAGZx4HgBQ&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=semaphore&f=false]:
    • Consider the wagging tail, the most basic semaphore in dog/human communication.
  • A visual system for transmitting information by means of two flags that are held one in each hand, using an alphabetic and numeric code based on the position of the signaler’s arms.
  • (computing) A bit, token, fragment of code, or some other mechanism which is used to restrict access to a shared function or device to a single process at a time, or to synchronize and coordinate events in different processes.

    • Verb

    (semaphor)
  • (intransitive) To signal using (or as if using) a semaphore.
  • * 1990 , (Peter Hopkirk), The Great Game , Folio Society 2010, p. 425:
    • Minutes later, unseen by the defenders, he semaphored back across the valley that he was going to make a fresh attempt.