fish-horn

plural fish-horns · alternative fish horn

1. historicalA horn that produces a loud and penetrating sound, used by a fishmonger to announce that the catch is in.

   He pointed toward the column, whose advance Juggie was enthusiastically stimulating by loud and prolonged blasts on the fish-horn.

   1886, Edward A. Rand, The Knights of the White Shield

   2 more examples

   Our "music" consisted of a bass-drum, which was tortured by the clown; a fish-horn beautifully played upon by Sam Palmer; a dinner-bell whose din was extracted by Jack Adams.

   1884, George Thompson, My Life: or the Adventures of Geo. Thompson

   The lad was pounced upon and raised up on his friends' shoulders, and away went the boat club boys around the town, Blumpo in advance of them blowing a big fish-horn.

   1897, Ralph Bonehill, The Young Oarsmen of Lakeview