alarum
/ə'leərəm/
Definition
Noun: 1. A warning signal, especially one that is automatic and sounds to indicate danger: An "alarum" is a device or signal, typically an audible sound like a bell or siren, that alerts people to a hazardous or urgent situation. This term is an archaic or literary variant of "alarm."
Examples of Usage
- The old castle had an alarum that would ring if the gates were breached.
- In the quiet night, the sudden alarum of the fire bell startled the entire village.
- The poet used the word alarum to describe the trumpet call that warned of the approaching army.
Advanced Usage
- "Alarums and excursions": This is a fixed phrase borrowed from Elizabethan stage directions. It humorously refers to a situation of noisy tumult, frantic activity, and commotion.
- The morning of the product launch was full of alarums and excursions as the team prepared for the event.
Variants and Related Words
- Alarm (n., v.): The modern and more common form of "alarum." It carries the same core meaning of a warning signal or a feeling of fear caused by danger.
- She set her alarm for 6 a.m.
- Alarm bell (n.): A bell used to sound an alarm.
- Alarm clock (n.): A clock designed to wake someone at a set time (historically "alarum clock").
Synonyms
- Alert: A warning of immediate danger.
- Signal: A sign, especially a prearranged one, conveying information or a warning.
- Siren: A device that makes a loud, prolonged sound as a signal or warning.
- Tocsin: An alarm bell or signal.
Notes on Usage
- "Alarum" is now considered archaic or highly literary. In contemporary English, "alarm" is the standard term for all definitions.
- Its primary use in modern English is within the historical or theatrical phrase "alarums and excursions."
Noun
-
an automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger
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