car horn
Definition
Noun: A car horn is a device installed on an automobile, designed to produce a loud warning sound. It is used primarily to alert other drivers or pedestrians of the vehicle's presence or to signal a potential hazard.
Usage
The term car horn refers specifically to the acoustic warning device on a motor vehicle. It is used to describe the object itself and its function. * Drivers use the car horn to warn others of danger. * The sound of a car horn is common in city traffic. * Please do not honk your car horn in this residential area at night.
Examples
- She pressed the car horn to alert the cyclist who was swerving into her lane.
- A sudden blast from a car horn made me jump.
- The mechanic checked the electrical connection to the car horn because it wasn't working.
Advanced Usage
- To honk/to blow/to sound the (car) horn: These are the standard verbs used with this device. While "car" is often omitted in these phrases, it is implied.
- He had to honk the horn repeatedly to get the truck to move.
- Horn (as a short form): In automotive and everyday contexts, "horn" is frequently used as a shortened form of "car horn."
- My car's horn sounds very weak.
Variants and Related Words
- Horn (noun): The general term for a device that makes a loud warning sound. It can refer to a car horn, a ship's foghorn, or a musical instrument.
- Hooter (noun, chiefly British): An informal synonym for a car horn.
- Klaxon (noun): A trademark for a type of loud electric horn, sometimes used generically.
Synonyms
- Automobile horn
- Motor horn
- Warning horn
Related Idioms and Phrases
- On the horn (North American, informal): This idiom means "on the telephone." It is related to the older "French horn" style of telephone, not directly to a car horn.
- I was on the horn with the client for an hour.
- Lock horns: To argue or fight with someone. This idiom comes from animal behavior (e.g., deer locking antlers).
- The two managers locked horns over the new budget.
Noun
-
a device on an automobile for making a warning noise
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