# four-minute warning

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/four-minute-warning
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A UK government public alert system in use during the Cold War to advise of an imminent nuclear attack.

## Examples

- The four-minute warning was a signal for a nuclear attack.
- During the Cold War, citizens lived in fear that the four-minute warning would suddenly sound across the country.
- The government developed the four-minute warning as a desperate measure to alert the public of an incoming missile strike, though many doubted it offered enough time to seek safety.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.