allarme Italian · revision 38840

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=late 13th century, Tristano Riccardiano (as a cry)|origins=la arma}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /alˈlar.me/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''allarme''' ''m'' (plural allarmi)^(Wiktionary)

+ The cry is written [[roa-oit|all'arme]], [[roa-oit|all'armi]] and [[roa-oit|a l'arme]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It comes from the battle cry ''all'arme!'', “to arms!”, a phrase of [[alla|alt=all']] and [[m|roa-oit|arme]], the old plural of [[arma|t=weapon]], later taken as a single noun meaning “(the signal of) alarm”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) The Italian word was borrowed as [[fr|alarme]] (1307),^(DELI 1999) and Körting lists [[es|alarma]] among the words that come from the cry.^(Körting 1907) The French derivatives [[m|fr|alarmer]] and [[m|fr|alarmiste]] in turn gave Italian [[allarmare]] and [[allarmista]].^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the ''Tristano Riccardiano'' of the late 13th century, where ''all'arme'' is still a cry calling men to take up their weapons or warning of danger.^(TLIO) Giovanni Villani (before 1348) has men ''gridando all'arme all'arme e viva il popolo'', “crying to arms, to arms, and long live the people”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Used as a noun, the cry became the call itself: Ariosto (1532) writes of a fierce ''dar all'arme'', a sounding of the alarm.^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo noted that it first stood without the article (''gridare allarme'') before ''suonare l'allarme'' and ''dare l'allarme'' became usual.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The single-word spelling is recorded in 1723 in Anton Maria Salvini.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The sense “fear, apprehension” is already in Francesco Redi (before 1698), and ''falso allarme'' in Raimondo Montecuccoli (before 1680).^(DELI 1999) D'Annunzio used it in 1916 for any warning of imminent danger.^(DELI 1999) In modern use ''allarme'' is also a burglar alarm or a device warning of a fault, and in journalism it stands before a noun naming the danger, as in ''allarme bomba'' (bomb scare); ''allarme rosso'' (red alert) is a calque of English.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 13th century – ''All'arme'' is recorded in the ''Tristano Riccardiano''.^(TLIO)

+ * 1307 – French ''alarme'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani writes ''gridando all'arme''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1532 – Ariosto uses ''dar all'arme''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1667 – ''Allarmare'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1680 – ''Falso allarme'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1698 – Francesco Redi uses the sense “apprehension”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1723 – Anton Maria Salvini writes ''allarme'' as one word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1796 – ''Allarmista'' appears in newspapers.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1916 – D'Annunzio uses it for a warning of imminent danger.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A call or signal ordering soldiers to take up arms, or warning civilians of danger: ''suonare l'allarme''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A warning of imminent [[m|en|danger]], and the time it lasts: ''Durante l'allarme aereo tutti scesero in cantina.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # An [[m|en|alarm]] system that signals a break-in or a fault in a machine: ''Qualcuno ha fatto scattare l'allarme del negozio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(journalism)'' A situation causing public fear, often followed by the noun naming it: ''allarme siccità''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' [[m|en|fear]], [[m|en|apprehension]]: ''La notizia mise in allarme tutto il paese.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(medicine)'' A set of signs of danger arising inside or outside the body.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # A cry warning of danger or calling to arms: ''Allarme!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[allarmare]]

+ * [[allarmismo]]

+ * [[allarmista]]

+ * [[allarmistico]]

+ * [[preallarme]]

+ * [[teleallarme]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[arma]]

+ * [[fr|alarme]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''falso allarme'' (false alarm), ''cessato allarme'' (all clear), ''campanello d'allarme'' (warning sign) and the offence of ''procurato allarme'', raising a false alarm.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}