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alarm
[ uh-lahrm ]
noun
- a sudden fear or distressing suspense caused by an awareness of danger; apprehension; fright.
Synonyms: , ,
- any sound, outcry, or information intended to warn of approaching danger:
Paul Revere raced through the countryside raising the alarm that the British were coming.
- an automatic device that serves to call attention, to rouse from sleep, or to warn of fire, smoke, an intruder, etc.
- a warning sound; signal for attention.
- Animal Behavior. any sound, outcry, chemical discharge, action, or other signal that functions to draw attention to a potential predator.
- Fencing. an appeal or a challenge made by a step or stamp on the ground with the advancing foot.
- Archaic. a call to arms.
verb (used with object)
- to make fearful or apprehensive; distress.
- to warn of danger; rouse to vigilance and swift measures for safety.
- to fit or equip with an alarm or alarms, as for fire, smoke, or robbery:
to alarm one's house and garage.
alarm
/ əˈɑː /
verb
- to fill with apprehension, anxiety, or fear
- to warn about danger; alert
- to fit or activate a burglar alarm on a house, car, etc
noun
- fear or terror aroused by awareness of danger; fright
- apprehension or uneasiness
the idea of failing filled him with alarm
- a noise, signal, etc, warning of danger
- any device that transmits such a warning
a burglar alarm
- the device in an alarm clock that triggers off the bell or buzzer
- short for alarm clock
- archaic.a call to arms
- fencing a warning or challenge made by stamping the front foot
Derived Forms
- ˈԲ, adjective
- ˈԲly, adverb
Other Word Forms
- ·a· adjective
- ··· [uh, -, lahr, -mid-lee], adverb
- a· verb (used with object) noun
- ܲa· adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of alarm1
Idioms and Phrases
see false alarm .Example Sentences
The alarm was raised on Tuesday after he did not return to HMP Castle Huntly - Scotland's only open prison - following a period of leave.
Ukraine and its European allies have in recent weeks expressed alarm over what many on the continent see as Trump's warming of relations with Vladimir Putin's Russia.
Eye-witness accounts in local media described students running through the site, with some confined to classrooms after an alarm was sounded.
An alarm can be heard ringing inside the store on Benson’s cellphone recording.
Shadow chancellor Mel Stride called the figures "alarming, but not surprising", adding that they "lay bare the price the British people are paying for Rachel Reeves' choices".
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More About Alarm
does alarm mean?
Alarm is a sudden feeling of fear or suspense caused by an awareness of danger, as in The pirates boarding the ship filled the captain with alarm.
An alarm is any sound or cry that is meant to alert someone. It can also be the device that produces the alarm, such as an alarm clock. Sounding the alarm means to activate a siren, bell, or a repeated verbal call, usually projected from a speaker of some kind.
To alarm someone is to make them fearful or distressed, as in My parents alarmed me when they started talking about moving south.
To alarm also means to warn someone about danger.
Example: Not to alarm you, but I feel like I might need to go to the emergency room.
Where does alarm come from?
The first records of the term alarm come from the 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Old Italian ’a, meaning “to arms,” with arms referring to weapons.
Alarms meant to be a reminder to go to an event usually don’t cause alarm in the sense of fear—unless you’re late. Most often, these types of alarms cause you to become alert and aware of something that is needed, similar to how people experiencing alarm become aware of danger.
One use of alarm you might not be familiar with is a certificate of alarm, which is a document that is certified by a home security company and sent to an insurance company to confirm that a house is secured. People with home security systems should pursue a certificate of alarm in order to get a discount on their insurance cost.
Did you know … ?
are some other forms related to alarm?
- alarmable (adjective)
- alarmedly (adverb)
- alarming (verb, adjective)
- unalarmed (adjective)
are some synonyms for alarm?
are some words that share a root or word element with alarm?
are some words that often get used in discussing alarm?
How is alarm used in real life?
Alarms on phones and clocks are a common way to remind yourself about something.
Set my alarm for 10:30 and my phone was set an hour forwards :(
— michael clifford on tour (@Michael5SOS)
Not to alarm everyone, but I overheard a supermarket manager tell an employee "Frito-Lay is totally out of product."
— Sean Thomason (@TheThomason)
My pig refuses to eat lettuce, carrots, celery, or any other vegetable, no matter how hungry she is.
Now I'm alarmed.
I'm raising me.
— James Breakwell, Exploding Unicorn (@XplodingUnicorn)
Try using alarm!
Which of the following is NOT a synonym for alarm?
A. aloof
B. alert
C. signal
D. warning
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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