bush telegraph

== English == === Alternative forms === bush-telegraph === Pronunciation === === Noun === bush telegraph (plural bush telegraphs) (idiomatic) 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. 2007, "From Sudan to supermodel stardom," msnbc.com, 28 Aug. (retrieved 19 Sep. 2008): 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. (idiomatic) A gossip network. ==== Synonyms ==== (communication system used by undeveloped societies): jungle telegraph (gossip network): jungle telegraph, grapevine, rumor mill === References === “bush telegraph”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.