the canary in the coal mine
the kah-NAYR-ee in the KOHL MYN
ðə kəˈnɛri ɪn ðə koʊl maɪnListen
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Dictionary meaning
an early warning of danger or of a serious problem that, if heeded, can prevent greater harm; the phrase derives from the historical practice of bringing caged canaries into coal mines because the birds, being more sensitive to odourless toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, would die before the gas reached concentrations dangerous to humans, alerting miners to evacuate; in environmental discourse the phrase is frequently applied to species and ecosystems that show signs of stress before larger ecological collapse becomes apparent
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