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alarm

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alarm

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Alarm  \A*larm"\  ([.a]*l[aum]rm"),  n.  [F.  alarme,  It  all'  arme 
  to  arms  !  fr  L.  arma,  pl.,  arms.  See  {Arms},  and  cf 
  {Alarum}.] 
  1.  A  summons  to  arms,  as  on  the  approach  of  an  enemy. 
 
  Arming  to  answer  in  a  night  alarm.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Any  sound  or  information  intended  to  give  notice  of 
  approaching  danger;  a  warning  sound  to  arouse  attention;  a 
  warning  of  danger. 
 
  Sound  an  alarm  in  my  holy  mountain.  --Joel  ii  1. 
 
  3.  A  sudden  attack;  disturbance;  broil.  [R.]  ``These  home 
  alarms.''  --Shak. 
 
  Thy  palace  fill  with  insults  and  alarms.  --Pope. 
 
  4.  Sudden  surprise  with  fear  or  terror  excited  by 
  apprehension  of  danger;  in  the  military  use  commonly, 
  sudden  apprehension  of  being  attacked  by  surprise. 
 
  Alarm  and  resentment  spread  throughout  the  camp. 
  --Macaulay. 
 
  5.  A  mechanical  contrivance  for  awaking  persons  from  sleep, 
  or  rousing  their  attention;  an  alarum. 
 
  {Alarm  bell},  a  bell  that  gives  notice  on  danger. 
 
  {Alarm  clock}  or  {watch},  a  clock  or  watch  which  can  be  so 
  set  as  to  ring  or  strike  loudly  at  a  prearranged  hour,  to 
  wake  from  sleep,  or  excite  attention. 
 
  {Alarm  gauge},  a  contrivance  attached  to  a  steam  boiler  for 
  showing  when  the  pressure  of  steam  is  too  high,  or  the 
  water  in  the  boiler  too  low 
 
  {Alarm  post},  a  place  to  which  troops  are  to  repair  in  case 
  of  an  alarm. 
 
  Syn:  Fright;  affright;  terror;  trepidation;  apprehension; 
  consternation;  dismay;  agitation;  disquiet;  disquietude. 
 
  Usage:  {Alarm},  {Fright},  {Terror},  {Consternation}.  These 
  words  express  different  degrees  of  fear  at  the 
  approach  of  danger.  Fright  is  fear  suddenly  excited, 
  producing  confusion  of  the  senses  and  hence  it  is 
  unreflecting  Alarm  is  the  hurried  agitation  of 
  feeling  which  springs  from  a  sense  of  immediate  and 
  extreme  exposure.  Terror  is  agitating  and  excessive 
  fear,  which  usually  benumbs  the  faculties. 
  Consternation  is  overwhelming  fear,  and  carries  a 
  notion  of  powerlessness  and  amazement.  Alarm  agitates 
  the  feelings;  terror  disorders  the  understanding  and 
  affects  the  will  fright  seizes  on  and  confuses  the 
  sense  consternation  takes  possession  of  the  soul,  and 
  subdues  its  faculties.  See  {Apprehension}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Alarm  \A*larm"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Alarmed};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Alarming}.]  [Alarm,  n.  Cf  F.  alarmer.] 
  1.  To  call  to  arms  for  defense;  to  give  notice  to  (any  one) 
  of  approaching  danger;  to  rouse  to  vigilance  and  action 
  to  put  on  the  alert. 
 
  2.  To  keep  in  excitement;  to  disturb. 
 
  3.  To  surprise  with  apprehension  of  danger;  to  fill  with 
  anxiety  in  regard  to  threatening  evil;  to  excite  with 
  sudden  fear. 
 
  Alarmed  by  rumors  of  military  preparation. 
  --Macaulay. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  alarm 
  n  1:  fear  resulting  from  the  awareness  of  danger  [syn:  {dismay}, 
  {consternation}] 
  2:  a  device  that  signals  the  occurrence  of  some  undesirable 
  event  [syn:  {warning  device},  {alarm  system}] 
  3:  an  automatic  signal  (usually  a  sound)  warning  of  danger 
  [syn:  {alert},  {warning  signal},  {alarum}] 
  4:  wakes  sleeper  at  preset  time  [syn:  {alarm  clock}] 
  v  1:  fill  with  apprehension  or  alarm  [syn:  {dismay},  {appal},  {appall}, 
  {horrify}] 
  2:  arouse  to  a  sense  of  danger;  "The  empty  house  alarmed  him" 
  [syn:  {alert}] 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Alarm 
  a  particular  quivering  sound  of  the  silver  trumpets  to  give 
  warning  to  the  Hebrews  on  their  journey  through  the  wilderness 
  (Num.  10:5,  6),  a  call  to  arms,  or  a  war-note  (Jer.  4:19;  49:2; 
  Zeph.  1:16).




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