cowcatcher

== English == === Alternative forms === cow catcher === Etymology === From cow +‎ catcher. === Noun === cowcatcher (plural cowcatchers) (rail transport, principally US) A plough-shaped device affixed to the front of a locomotive (or other large vehicle), usually wedge or V-shaped so as to push or deflect objects on the tracks out of the way, to clear out the train's path and prevent the risk of derailment or major damage to it. Synonym: pilot (radio, advertising) An advertisement at the start of a program. Coordinate term: hitchhiker ==== Translations ==== === See also === === References === Eugene Fred Seehafer; Jack William Laemmar (1951), “A cowcatcher announcement is one aired at the very beginning of a radio program, as soon as the broadcast goes on the air and the program has been introduced to listeners.”, in Successful radio and television advertising, page 207 === Further reading === Pilot (locomotive) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia