meaning and origin of ''canary in the coal mine'' – word ...
The phrase a, or the, canary in a, or the, (coal) mine denotes an early indicator of potential danger or failure.. It refers to the former practice of taking live canaries into coal mines to test for the presence of toxic gases, particularly carbon monoxide, the illness or death of the canaries serving as an indication that such gases were present.. The earliest mention of this practice that I ...