alarm English · revision 2168

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əˈlɑːm/ ''(UK)''; /əˈlɑɹm/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|alarme]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|it|all'arme|t=to the arms!]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) a contraction of ''alle arme'', from ''a'' “to” (Latin ''ad''), ''le'' (Latin ''illas'') “the”, and ''arme'' “weapons”,^(Etymonline) [[der|la|arma|t=weapons]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline) The variant [[alarum]] arose from the rolled ''r'' in the shouted word.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A call to arms in the face of danger or an enemy (late 14th century; about 1380 in Barnhart).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Italian shout “to arms!” came to be used as the name for the call itself.^(Etymonline) In the 16th century it was extended to any sound warning of danger or meant to rouse someone, and then to the device that makes it.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The sense of sudden fear at danger is from the mid-15th century, and the weaker “apprehension, unease” from 1833.^(Etymonline) The verb (1580s) first meant to call to arms.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The sense “to fill with apprehension” followed in the 1650s.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) The alarm clock is recorded from the 1690s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c1325 – the call to arms (as ''alarme!'').^(OED 1989)

+ * 1393 – as an exclamation, “To arms!”^(OED 1989)

+ * 1592 – a warning sound of any kind.^(OED 1989)

+ * c1590 – verb, to call to arms.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1651 – verb, to disturb or excite.^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1653 – verb, to strike with fear.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1690s – ''alarm clock''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Sudden fear caused by awareness of danger.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A warning of danger, or a signal that calls for attention.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A device that warns of danger or wakes a sleeper with a sound or light.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(archaic)'' A call to arms.^(MW Collegiate)^(AHD)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To frighten or fill with anxiety.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To warn of danger.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To fit with an alarm.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[alarmingly]]

+ * [[alarmable]]

+ * [[alarming]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[alarmism]]

+ * [[alarmist]]

+ * [[alarm clock]]

+ * [[alarm reaction]]

+ * [[false alarm]]

+ * [[fire alarm]]

+ * [[burglar alarm]]

+ * [[silent alarm]]

+ * [[still alarm]]

+ * [[alarum]]

+ * [[alert]]

+ * [[arms]]

+ * [[tocsin]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}