Reading Theme:
Traffic Lights: Meaning, Examples, and Usage
Meaning 1：traffic signals (Traffic Lights)
Traffic Lights
/ˈtræfɪk laɪts/
n.
Lights at roads that use red, yellow, and green colors to show when vehicles and people should stop or go.
traffic signals
➕
/ˈtræfɪk ˈsɪɡnəlz/
n.
A set of lights at road intersections that use red, yellow, and green colors to control the flow of vehicles and pedestrians, ensuring safety and order.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
Compound of 'traffic' (from Old Italian traffico) and 'lights' (from Old English lēoht).
💡 Mnemonic
Remember: Red = Stop, Yellow = Caution, Green = Go. Like a rainbow for roads!
📖 Example
My little sister is learning to ride a bike, and I always remind her to stop at the traffic lights before crossing the street.
My little sister is learning to ride a bike, and I always remind her to stop at the traffic lights before crossing the street.
🔗 Collocations
obey the traffic lights – to follow the signals of traffic lights
traffic light intersection – a crossing controlled by traffic lights
traffic light system – the sequence of red, yellow, and green lights
🔄 Synonyms
traffic signals (n.) – another term for traffic lights
stoplights (n.) – informal term for traffic lights, especially the red light
road signals (n.) – general term for signals on roads, including traffic lights
📖 Cultural Story
First traffic light installed in London in 1868, gas-powered and manually operated. Modern electric versions emerged in the early 1900s, inspired by railroad signals.
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