time signal

American  

noun

1. a signal sent electrically or by radio to indicate a precise moment of time as a means of checking or regulating timepieces.

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time signal British  

noun

1. an announcement of the correct time, esp on radio or television

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Etymology

Origin of time signal

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

time signal

And yet the unvarnished private talks now taking place at the commanding heights of European democracies, many reported here in detail for the first time, signal the perilous path ahead.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

They were controlled by two mechanical clocks at the Royal Greenwich Observatory - hence their official name, the Greenwich time signal.

From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2014

That has led to worries that mismatched time signals could cause navigation problems, since even small errors in a time signal would mean positions being off by tens of metres.

From Economist ● Jan. 12, 2012

In the program notes Mr. Davis writes that historically bells have been a “means of communication over distance — to mark time, signal alarm, announce celebration, call to prayer, etc.”

From New York Times ● Feb. 23, 2011

Father always arrived a couple of hours before the time signal in order to visit the wholesalers who supplied him with watches and parts.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom