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Alarm

//əˈlɑːm// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy. countable, uncountable

    "Arming to answer in a night alarm."

  2. 2
    a device that signals the occurrence of some undesirable event wordnet
  3. 3
    Any sound or information intended to give notice of approaching danger; a warning sound to arouse attention; a warning of danger. countable, uncountable

    "Sound an alarm in my holy mountain."

  4. 4
    a clock that wakes a sleeper at some preset time wordnet
  5. 5
    A device intended to warn or give notice of approaching danger. countable, uncountable

    "The fire alarm is located high on the wall to prevent tampering."

Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    an automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger wordnet
  2. 7
    A sudden attack; a disturbance. countable, uncountable

    "Lord Marshal, command our officers-at-arms Be ready to direct these home alarms."

  3. 8
    fear resulting from the awareness of danger wordnet
  4. 9
    Sudden surprise with fear or terror excited by apprehension of danger; in the military use, commonly, sudden apprehension of being attacked by surprise. countable, uncountable

    "Alarm and resentment spread through the camp."

  5. 10
    A mechanical device for awaking people, or rousing their attention. countable, uncountable

    "The clock radio is a friendlier version of the cold alarm by the bedside."

  6. 11
    An instance of an alarm ringing, beeping or clanging, to give a noise signal at a certain time. countable, uncountable

    "You should set the alarm on your watch to go off at seven o'clock."

Verb
  1. 1
    To call to arms for defense. transitive
  2. 2
    warn or arouse to a sense of danger or call to a state of preparedness wordnet
  3. 3
    To give (someone) notice of approaching danger or necessary action; to rouse to vigilance; to put on the alert. transitive

    "The sudden drop in temperature should alarm you into taking precautions."

  4. 4
    fill with apprehension or alarm; cause to be unpleasantly surprised wordnet
  5. 5
    To produce a warning of approaching danger or necessary action; to emit a signal intended to rouse a recipient to vigilance or put them on the alert. transitive

    "The tower cab supervisor and various pilots stated that the LLWAS system frequently alarms because of the thunderstorm activity present, and that airspeed losses are common as a result of convective wind shear."

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  1. 6
    To surprise with apprehension of danger; to fill with anxiety in regard to threatening evil; to excite with sudden fear. transitive

    "The loud bang in the hallway seemed to alarm everyone in the building."

  2. 7
    To keep in excitement; to disturb. transitive

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English alarme, alarom, borrowed from Middle French alarme, itself from Old Italian all'arme! (“to arms!, to the weapons!”), ultimately from Latin arma (“arms, weapons”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English alarme, alarom, borrowed from Middle French alarme, itself from Old Italian all'arme! (“to arms!, to the weapons!”), ultimately from Latin arma (“arms, weapons”).

See also for "alarm"

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