red light

red light

1. noun A red traffic light, which is a signal to stop. I pulled up to the red light and stopped the car. Please be careful driving out there—people are maniacs and don't even stop at red lights!
2. noun By extension, a message or signal to stop. I'm really not interested in dating Rob, and I thought I gave him a red light, but he keeps pursuing me nonetheless.
3. adjective Indicative of a brothel (due to the practice of using red lamps to show that an establishment is a brothel). Often hyphenated. Be careful if you venture into the red-light district—there are a lot of shady characters there.
See also: light, red
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • run a red light
  • wink away
  • get the green light
  • give somebody/get the green light
  • green light, get/give the
  • flash (something) at (someone or something)
  • flash at
  • be in (one's) light
  • be in somebody's light
  • be light on something
References in periodicals archive
There were 939 people killed in red light running crashes in 2017, a 10-year high and a 28% increase since 2012, according to AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety researchers.
"There are many red light therapy products on the market," says Zernov.
During this year's Amsterdam Pride, My Red Light and HUNQZ.com are collaborating to create awareness around the need for good, safe and legal working places for ALL sex workers - men and women alike.
Thousands of motorists have been fined this year in Abu Dhabi for jumping the red light signal, according to latest statistics from the police.
District police chief Superintendent Hasron Nazri Hashim said the police had flagged down Ng Chee Guan for running the red light at Jalan Universiti at Bandar Baru Kampar and when stopped, Ng admitted he ran the red light but appealed to be let off the hook.
"We know that people lead busy lives but running a red light can be very dangerous and can lead to a serious collision.
The way "red light cameras" work is that if someone runs a light, the camera snaps a picture of the car and driver and then the driver is sent a citation in the mail.
And in another clip a mini-bus jumps through a red light at a busy junction.
Sharjah: Sharjah Police recorded fewer red light runners so far this year as compared to the same period in 2017, said police on Monday.
"If we find there is a safety issue, in partnership with Northumbria Safer Roads Initiative, we will consider additional safety measures, which could include introducing red light cameras."
They later tweeted: "20 minutes later, same unmarked car, a few streets away and there's another cyclist who can't be bothered waiting at red light. Stopped & #reported.
I have seen vehicles going over red lights and it is a massive problem at this particular junction.
Oregon cities that install cameras at intersections to catch motorists running red lights may soon be able to also use them to catch speeders under House Bill 2409.
"When drivers ignore a red light, they put themselves and innocent pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists, other drivers and passengers at great risk.