bush telegraph
A system used by undeveloped societies in remote regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds, word-of-mouth relay, or smoke signals.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“News travels fast through the bush telegraph in this village.”
“Without any modern technology, the locals rely on the bush telegraph to share important information across the valley.”
“Long before the arrival of modern telecommunications, the bush telegraph served as the primary method for transmitting urgent messages across the vast, rugged landscape.”
- 01
beat around the bush
To treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally.
- 02
beat the bushes
Synonym of pound the pavement (“to campaign diligently; to seek something”).
- 03
bush league
A professional sports association at the lower levels of minor league organization.
- 04
jungle telegraph
A system used by primitive cultures in remote tropical regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds or a relay of runners.
- 05
mukluk telegraph
The spread of information and gossip by word of mouth in rural Alaska.
Last updated August 10, 2026