signaller
signaller — noun
1. someone who operates the trackside signals along a railway line to control train
someone who operates the trackside signals along a railway line to control train movements and ensure safe running
The signaller in the control box pulled the lever to switch the signal from red to green.
signaller + in the control box
Mr. Okonkwo worked as a signaller on the London-to-Edinburgh line for thirty years.
worked as a signaller + on [railway line]
The signaller spotted a crack on the track and radioed the driver to stop before the bridge.
Heavy fog made the signaller's job especially difficult that morning near York station.
A good signaller needs to stay calm and focused, even when several trains arrive at once.
- signalman
older and more informal term for someone who operates railway signals; less common in modern job titles
- dispatcher
a US term for someone who coordinates train movements by radio rather than manually operating trackside signals
文法句型
signaller + verb (works/operates)
用法筆記
British spelling with double L; US English usually spells it 'signaler'. This sense is the more common meaning of the word in everyday contexts.
常見錯誤
2. a member of the armed forces who has been trained to send and receive coded mess
a member of the armed forces who has been trained to send and receive coded messages using equipment such as radios, lamps, or signal flags
Corporal Chen trained as a signaller and could transmit Morse code faster than anyone in the regiment.
trained as a signaller + transmit Morse code
The signaller climbed the ridge to get a clear line of sight for the radio signal.
During the night exercise, the signaller relayed the captain's orders to the forward patrol using a hand lamp.
Every signaller in the navy must learn to communicate with flags, lights, and radios across open water.
Sergeant Kim assigned the new signaller to the observation post on the eastern slope.
- signalman
used mostly in naval contexts; an older rank title in some navies
- communicator
a broader term for anyone handling military communications, often used in modern joint-force roles
- radio operator
a more specific term focused on radio equipment rather than all signal methods
文法句型
signaller + verb (sends/receives/relays)
用法筆記
In the British armed forces, a signaller is a specific trade within the Royal Corps of Signals (army) or the communications branch of the navy. Frequently used in passive construction: 'was trained as a signaller'.