alarm

Meanings

1. A device or signal that warns people of danger or wakes them up.
2. A sudden feeling of fear or worry.

Example sentences

• "The fire alarm went off during the drill."

  Level A1, Meaning 1

• "I set my alarm for six o'clock."

  Level A1, Meaning 1

• "She felt a rush of alarm when the lights went out."

  Level B1, Meaning 2

• "It was a false alarm, so nobody was hurt."

  Level A2, Meaning 1

Look-alikes and common mistakes

• alert : An alert is a warning message or a state of watching. An alarm is the sound or device that gives a warning.
• siren : A siren is a loud rising sound, usually from a vehicle. An alarm can be any warning signal.

Word family and forms

Forms: alarms

Word partners

Words and phrases that often go with "alarm".

• set the alarm
• a fire alarm
• an alarm clock
• raise the alarm
• a false alarm
• alarm bells

Idioms and phrases

raise the alarm

To warn people that something is wrong.

"The guard raised the alarm when he saw the smoke."

alarm bells ring

Something makes you think there is a problem.

"When she asked for money, alarm bells rang."

Origin

Alarm came into English in the 1300s from Middle French alarme, which took it from the Old Italian cry all'arme, meaning to arms. The cry called soldiers to their weapons, from Latin arma, arms or weapons. That is why the word began as a call to get ready.

Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.

How to remember it

Alarm contains arm. In old times the call was all'arme: to arms, get ready to fight.

Test yourself

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