bush telegraph

bush telegraph
a) 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.

When I was born, family and friends came from all over, thanks to the bush telegraph. There were very few telephones where I grew up, so my father mentioned my birth to someone at the market. And that woman told a man who was delivering rice to a place up the road. He told someone there, who was taking a herd of cattle south, toward the villages. And pretty soon the news of my birth had spread far and wide.

I suppose youve received information, by bush-telegraph, that that third assistant understrapper and ex-sailorman at Tulagi is going to deport me as an undesirable immigrant.


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  • Bush Telegraph — is a radio program on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation s Radio National network, broadcast weekdays (Monday Friday) at 11 12am, reporting Australian rural news. The name of the show is derived from the eponymous Australian country concept… …   Wikipedia

  • bush telegraph — ► NOUN ▪ a rapid informal network by which information or gossip is spread …   English terms dictionary

  • bush telegraph — noun 1. : a means whereby the natives of a jungle or bush rapidly spread news from person to person 2. chiefly Australia : an informal but well organized system of word of mouth communication transmitting plans and movements of the police :… …   Useful english dictionary

  • bush telegraph — street gossip, through the grapevine    Arne gets the news through the bush telegraph. People tell him …   English idioms

  • bush telegraph — noun (U) BrE humorous the way in which people pass important news to each other very quickly: I d better warn you, the bush telegraph here works faster than the speed of light …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • bush telegraph, the — bush ,telegraph, the noun BRITISH the way in which a group of people, especially people who work together, quickly find out news or information without its being officially announced …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • bush telegraph — 1. any system of communication in which the natives of a jungle or bush region transmit news rapidly, as by runners, drum codes, or smoke signals. 2. Australian. a. any chain of communications by which criminals, originally bushrangers, are… …   Universalium

  • bush telegraph — /bʊʃ ˈtɛləgræf / (say boosh teluhgraf) noun 1. a system of communication over wide distances among tribal peoples, by drumbeats or other means. 2. Colloquial an unofficial chain of communication by which information is conveyed and rumour spread …  

  • Bush telegraph — town gossip network, rumors …   Dictionary of Australian slang

  • bush telegraph — Australian Slang town gossip network, rumors …   English dialects glossary

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