tipoff
/ˈtɪpˌɔf/
noun
- A piece of secret or private information that helps someone, especially the police, solve a crime or prevent something bad.
- The police received a tipoff about the planned robbery and stopped it in time.
- Thanks to a tipoff from a neighbor, the fire department arrived before the flames spread.
- An anonymous tipoff led the detectives to the stolen paintings.
- A sign or signal that something is going to happen or that something is true.
- The dark clouds were a tipoff that a storm was coming.
- The sudden silence in the room was a tipoff that something was wrong.
- His nervous laugh was a tipoff that he was hiding the truth.