highball

[ hahy-bawl ]
/ ˈhaɪˌbɔl /

noun

a drink of whiskey mixed with club soda or ginger ale and served with ice in a tall glass.
Railroads.
  1. a signal to start a train, given with the hand or with a lamp.
  2. a signal for a train to move at full speed.
Military Slang. a hand salute.

verb (used without object)

Slang. to move at full speed.

verb (used with object)

to signal to (the engineer of a train) to proceed.

Origin of highball

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; high + ball1

Example sentences from the Web for highball

British Dictionary definitions for highball

highball
/ (ˈhaɪˌbɔːl) mainly US /

noun

a long iced drink consisting of a spirit base with water, soda water, etc
(originally in railway use) a signal that the way ahead is clear and one may proceed

verb

(intr) to move at great speed
(tr) to drive (a vehicle) at great speed

Word Origin for highball

C19: (in sense 2) from the early railway signal consisting of a ball hoisted to the top of a pole