/ 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.
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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!.