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“alarms”
1. A device for giving a warning of danger.
2. A security device fitted to property; especially, a house or car, to make a warning sound if a break-in or theft is attempted.
3. A reference to an "alarm clock" or "alarm watch".
4. Fear caused by the perception of or the sudden sense of imminent danger: "Her parents have expressed alarm about her safety."
2. A security device fitted to property; especially, a house or car, to make a warning sound if a break-in or theft is attempted.
3. A reference to an "alarm clock" or "alarm watch".
4. Fear caused by the perception of or the sudden sense of imminent danger: "Her parents have expressed alarm about her safety."
Historical Development
From the old French summons to battle a l'arme!, "to arms!" it seems a far cry to the modern alarm clock; yet, that is actually the scope of the word's development.
A l'arme! was first the call itself and then, in the form alarme, it became the name of this sudden summons.
The English alarm, which comes from this origin, first had the same meaning, but gradually broadened to indicate a warning signal of any kind of danger, and then the apparatus for giving this signal; such as, a fire bell.
It is interesting to also note that alarm has developed an additional meaning: the fear which results from a warning of danger.
This entry is located in the following unit:
English Words in Action, Group A +
(page 5)
alarm (verb), alarms; alarmed; alarming
To feel a sense of danger or to worry or to frighten someone: "The rapid spread of the disease was alarming many people."
This entry is located in the following unit:
English Words in Action, Group A +
(page 5)
Word Entries at Word Info:
“alarms”
alarms
What an octopus is, all arms.
This entry is located in the following unit:
Dictionary with a Touch of Humor
(page 1)
Word Entries at Word Info containing the term:
“alarms”
1. An alarm; such as, a fire alarm which is set off when it is not necessary: "The false alarm at the school resulted in firefighters going there for nothing."
2. Something that causes people to wrongly believe that a bad or dangerous thing is going to happen: "The report in the news that indicated the business was closing down was just another one of those false alarms."
2. Something that causes people to wrongly believe that a bad or dangerous thing is going to happen: "The report in the news that indicated the business was closing down was just another one of those false alarms."
This entry is located in the following units:
cris-, crit-, cri- +
(page 2)
fals-, fall- +
(page 2)
pseudo-, pseud-
(page 1)