ALARM


Meaning of ALARM in English

/ əˈlɑːm; NAmE əˈlɑːrm/ noun , verb

■ noun

1.

[ U ] fear and anxiety that sb feels when sth dangerous or unpleasant might happen :

'What have you done?' Ellie cried in alarm .

I felt a growing sense of alarm when he did not return that night.

The doctor said there was no cause for alarm .

➡ note at fear

2.

[ C , usually sing. ] a loud noise or a signal that warns people of danger or of a problem :

She decided to sound the alarm (= warn people that the situation was dangerous) .

I hammered on all the doors to raise the alarm .

—see also false alarm

3.

[ C ] a device that warns people of a particular danger :

a burglar / fire / smoke alarm

The cat set off the alarm (= made it start ringing) .

A car alarm went off in the middle of the night (= started ringing) .

4.

= alarm clock :

The alarm went off at 7 o'clock.

IDIOMS

- alarm bells ring / start ringing

■ verb

1.

to make sb anxious or afraid

SYN worry :

[ vn ]

The captain knew there was an engine fault but didn't want to alarm the passengers.

[also vn to inf ] ➡ note at frighten

2.

[ vn ] to fit sth such as a door with a device that warns people when sb is trying to enter illegally

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WORD ORIGIN

late Middle English (as an exclamation meaning to arms! ): from Old French alarme , from Italian allarme , from all' arme! to arms!.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.