# telegraph

/ˈtɛɫəˌɡɹæf/ (US) · /tˈɛlɪɡɹˌæf/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/telegraph
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. historical communication device

noun · CEFR B2 · Archaic

an old machine used to send messages over long distances using electricity and wires.

For teachers: a historical telecommunications device or system used to transmit text messages via electrical signals, typically using Morse code.

- Before the telephone was invented, people used the telegraph to send urgent news across the country.
- The invention of the electric telegraph revolutionized global commerce by allowing information to travel faster than a physical courier for the first time in history.

Usage: Often used with the definite article 'the' to refer to the system as a whole.

### 2. to signal intentions

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to show what you are going to do next through your movements or expression, often without meaning to.

For teachers: to unintentionally communicate an intended action or feeling through non-verbal cues or body language.

- The boxer telegraphed his next move by looking down at his opponent's feet.
- The negotiator inadvertently telegraphed her lack of confidence by fidgeting with her pen whenever the price was mentioned.

Teaching tip: This figurative sense is very common in sports and gaming contexts to describe predictable behavior.

### 3. to send a message

verb · CEFR B2 · Archaic

to send a message using a telegraph machine.

For teachers: to transmit a message via a telegraphic system.

- The general telegraphed his orders to the troops at the front line.
- The diplomat telegraphed the terms of the treaty back to the capital, awaiting a response from the prime minister.

## Examples

- The news arrived quickly by telegraph.
- During the nineteenth century, the telegraph allowed businesses to communicate across continents in minutes rather than weeks.
- The installation of the transatlantic telegraph cable revolutionized global diplomacy by enabling near-instantaneous consultation between governments separated by vast oceanic distances.

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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.