alarm

See also: Alarm

English

Alternative forms

• alarum

Etymology

From Middle English alarme, alarom, borrowed from Middle French alarme, itself from Old Italian all'arme! (“to arms!, to the weapons!”), ultimately from Latin arma (“arms, weapons”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈlɑːm/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /əˈlɑɹm/
• Hyphenation: alarm

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)m

Noun

alarm (countable and uncountable, plural alarms)

1. A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy.
   • c. 1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene iii]:

     Arming to answer in a night alarm.

2. Any sound or information intended to give notice of approaching danger; a warning sound to arouse attention; a warning of danger.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, Joel 2:1:

     Sound an alarm in my holy mountain.

   • 1859, Charles Dickens, The Haunted House:

     She went about the house in a state of real terror, and yet lied monstrously and wilfully, and invented many of the alarms she spread, and made many of the sounds we heard.

3. A sudden attack; disturbance.
   • 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene i]:

     these home alarms

   • 1725, Homer; [Elijah Fenton], transl., “Book I”, in The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot, OCLC 8736646, page III:

     thy palace fill with insults and alarms

4. Sudden surprise with fear or terror excited by apprehension of danger; in the military use, commonly, sudden apprehension of being attacked by surprise.
   • 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 1, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, OCLC 1069526323:

     Alarm and resentment spread through the camp.

5. A mechanical device for awaking people, or rousing their attention.

   The clock radio is a friendlier version of the cold alarm by the bedside.

6. An instance of an alarm ringing, beeping or clanging, to give a noise signal at a certain time.

   You should set the alarm on your watch to go off at seven o'clock.

Derived terms

• alarm bell
• alarm clock
• alarm reaction
• false alarm
• fire alarm
• multialarm
• raise the alarm

 

Translations

summons to arms

• Arabic: إِنْذَار‎ m (ʾinḏār)
• Armenian: տագնապ (hy) (tagnap)
• Belarusian: трыво́га f (tryvóha)
• Bulgarian: трево́га (bg) f (trevóga)
• Catalan: alarma (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 警報 (zh), 警报 (zh) (jǐngbào)

• Dutch: alarmkreet (nl) n, ^{(please verify)} oproep te wapen
• Finnish: hälytys (fi)
• French: alarme (fr) f
• Galician: alarma f
• Georgian: განგაში (gangaši)
• German: Alarm (de) m
• Hungarian: fegyverbe, riadó (hu)

• Italian: allarme (it) m
• Japanese: 警報 (ja) (けいほう, keihō)
• Korean: 경보 (ko) (gyeongbo) (警報 (ko))
• Polish: alarm (pl) m inan
• Portuguese: alarme (pt) m
• Russian: трево́га (ru) f (trevóga)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: а̀ларм m

  Roman: àlarm (sh) m

• Spanish: alarma (es) m, rebato (es)
• Ukrainian: триво́га f (tryvóha)
• Uzbek: taxlika, vahima (uz)
• Vietnamese: sự báo động

notice of approaching danger

• Bulgarian: тревога (bg) (trevoga), аларма (bg) (alarma)
• Catalan: alarma (ca) f
• Dutch: alarm (nl) n, alarmsignaal (nl) n
• Estonian: häire
• Finnish: hälytys (fi)
• Galician: alarma f
• Georgian: განგაში (gangaši)
• German: Alarm (de) m, Alarmsignal n
• Greek: συναγερμός (el) m (synagermós)
• Hungarian: riadó (hu)
• Italian: allarme (it) m

• Japanese: 注意 (ja) (chuui)
• Macedonian: тревога f (trevoga), узбуна f (uzbuna)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: alarm (no) m

  Nynorsk: alarm m

• Portuguese: alarme (pt) m
• Russian: трево́га (ru) f (trevóga)
• Scottish Gaelic: rabhadh m
• Spanish: alarma (es) m, rebato (es)
• Uzbek: taxlika

sudden surprise with fear or terror

• Catalan: alarma (ca) f
• Dutch: alarmstemming
• Finnish: pelästyminen (fi)
• Georgian: შიში (šiši), ღელვა (ɣelva), მღელვარება (mɣelvareba)
• German: Alarmstimmung f
• Greek:

  Ancient: τάρβος n (tárbos)

• Hungarian: ijedtség (hu), riadalom (hu)
• Latin: pavor m
• Maori: ahaaha, kōruru
• Portuguese: alarme (pt) m
• Russian: испу́г (ru) m (ispúg), смяте́ние (ru) n (smjaténije), страх (ru) m (strax), опасе́ние (ru) n (opasénije)
• Scottish Gaelic: clisgeadh m

mechanical contrivance for awaking

• Armenian: զարթուցիչ (hy) (zartʿucʿičʿ)
• Bulgarian: буди́лник (bg) m (budílnik)
• Catalan: despertador (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Dutch: alarm (nl) n, alarmklok (nl), wekker (nl) m
• Esperanto: alarmilo
• Estonian: äratuskell
• Finnish: herätyskello (fi)
• French: réveille-matin (fr) m, réveil (fr) m
• Georgian: მაღვიძარა (maɣviʒara)
• German: Wecker (de) m
• Greek: ξυπνητήρι (el) n (xypnitíri)
• Hungarian: ébresztő (hu)

• Japanese: 目覚まし時計 (ja) (めざましどけい, mezamashidokei)
• Khmer: please add this translation if you can
• Latvian: please add this translation if you can
• Lithuanian: please add this translation if you can
• Polish: budzik (pl) m inan
• Portuguese: despertador (pt) m
• Russian: буди́льник (ru) m (budílʹnik), сигнализа́ция (ru) f (signalizácija) (alarm system)
• Spanish: despertador m
• Swedish: väckarklocka (sv) c
• Thai: please add this translation if you can
• Vietnamese: please add this translation if you can

instance of an alarm ringing or clanging

• Armenian: ահազանգ (hy) (ahazang), տագնապի ազդանշան (tagnapi azdanšan)
• Bulgarian: обявяване на трево́га (objavjavane na trevóga)
• Catalan: alarma (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 警報信號, 警报信号 (jǐngbào xìnhào)

• Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
• Estonian: äratus, alarm (et)

• Finnish: hälytys (fi)
• Japanese: please add this translation if you can
• Khmer: please add this translation if you can
• Russian: сигна́л трево́ги m (signál trevógi)
• Spanish: alarma (es) f
• Thai: please add this translation if you can
• Uzbek: vahima (uz)
• Vietnamese: please add this translation if you can

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} alarme (fr)
• Georgian: ^{(please verify)} განგაში (gangaši)

• Irish: ^{(please verify)} aláram m, ^{(please verify)} creill f

See also

• tocsin

Verb

alarm (third-person singular simple present alarms, present participle alarming, simple past and past participle alarmed)

(Can we add an example for this sense?)

1. (transitive) To call to arms for defense
2. (transitive) To give (someone) notice of approaching danger
3. (transitive) To rouse to vigilance and action; to put on the alert.
4. (transitive) To surprise with apprehension of danger; to fill with anxiety in regard to threatening evil; to excite with sudden fear.
5. (transitive) To keep in excitement; to disturb.

Derived terms

• alarming
• alarmist

 

Translations

to call to arms

• Bulgarian: ^{(please verify)} вдигам по тревога (vdigam po trevoga)
• Catalan: alarmar (ca)

• Dutch: te wapen roepen
• Finnish: hälyttää (fi)
• Spanish: tocar a rebato

to give notice (by sound or otherwise) of approaching danger

• Bulgarian: ^{(please verify)} обявявам тревога (objavjavam trevoga)
• Catalan: alarmar (ca)
• Dutch: alarmeren (nl), alarm slaan
• Esperanto: alarmi
• Finnish: hälyttää (fi)

• German: ^{(please verify)} Alarm schlagen (intransitive), ^{(please verify)} alarmieren (de) (transitive)
• Hungarian: riaszt (hu)
• Maori: tarakeha (given by birds), pāoho
• Portuguese: alarmar (pt)

to surprise with apprehension of danger

• Catalan: alarmar (ca)
• Dutch: alarmeren (nl), beangstigen (nl)
• Esperanto: alarmi
• Finnish: pelästyttää (fi), hätäännyttää

• German: alarmieren (de)
• Latin: cōnsternō
• Maori: whakahopo
• Portuguese: alarmar (pt)

to keep in excitement; to disturb

• Bulgarian: разтревожвам (bg) (raztrevožvam)
• Catalan: alarmar (ca)
• Dutch: alarmeren (nl), verontrusten (nl)

• Finnish: huolestuttaa (fi)
• German: in Alarmstimmung versetzen
• Thai: รบกวน (th) (róp-guuan)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} alarmer (fr), ^{(please verify)} donner/sonner l'alerte

• German: ^{(please verify)} Alarm schlagen (intransitive), ^{(please verify)} alarmieren (de)

References

• alarm in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• LRAAM, Lamar, Marla, malar, marla, ramal

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Albanian

Etymology

From French alarme (“alarm”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /alaɾm/

Noun

alárm m (indefinite plural alárme, definite singular alármi, definite plural alármet)

1. (army) alarm

   Synonym: kushtrim

2. (figuratively) anxiety

   Synonym: shqetësim

Declension

declension of alarm

	indefinite forms (trajta të pashquara)			definite forms (trajta të shquara)
	singular (numri njëjës)	plural (numri shumës)		singular (numri njëjës)	plural (numri shumës)
nominative (emërore)	alarm	alarme		alarmi	alarmet
accusative (kallëzore)	alarm	alarme		alarmin	alarmet
genitive (gjinore) (i/e/të/së)	alarmi	alarmeve		alarmit	alarmevet
dative (dhanore)	alarmi	alarmeve		alarmit	alarmevet
ablative (rrjedhore)	alarmi	alarmesh		alarmit	alarmevet

Derived terms

• alarmim m (gerund)
• alarmoj (active)
• alarmohem (passive)
• alarmonjës
• alarmuar (participle)
• alarmues m
• alarmuese f

Further reading

• Oda Buchholz, Wilfried Fiedler, Gerda Uhlisch, Langenscheidt Handwörterbuch Albanisch, Langenscheidt Verlag, 2000, →ISBN, page 32 (noun alárm/alarm)
• [1] m. noun alárm/alarm (engl. alarm) • Fjalor Shqip (Albanian Dictionary)

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Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈalarm]

Noun

alarm m

1. alarm

Related terms

• alarmismus
• alarmista
• alarmistický
• alarmní

Further reading

• alarm in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
• alarm in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989
• alarm in Akademický slovník cizích slov, 1995, at prirucka.ujc.cas.cz

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Dutch

Etymology

Ultimately from Italian all' arme (“to arms”), allarme; cf. also French alarme. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aːˈlɑrm/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: alarm
• Rhymes: -ɑrm

Noun

alarm n (plural alarmen, diminutive alarmpje n)

1. alarm

Derived terms

• alarmbel
• alarmcentrale
• alarmklok
• alarmnummer
• alarmsignaal
• luchtalarm

 

Related terms

• alarmeren

Anagrams

• Almar

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Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Italian all' arme (“to arms”) and allarme, via French alarme

Noun

alarm m (definite singular alarmen, indefinite plural alarmer, definite plural alarmene)

1. an alarm

Derived terms

• alarmklokke
• brannalarm

 

References

• “alarm” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

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Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Italian all' arme (“to arms”) and allarme, via French alarme

Noun

alarm m (definite singular alarmen, indefinite plural alarmar, definite plural alarmane)

1. an alarm

Derived terms

• alarmklokke
• brannalarm

 

References

• “alarm” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

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Polish

Etymology

From French alarme, from Italian all'arme (“to arms”). Cf. French alarme.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.larm/

• audio

  (file)

Noun

alarm m inan

1. alarm
2. The state of being alerted

Declension

declension of alarm

	singular	plural
nominative	alarm	alarmy
genitive	alarmu	alarmów
dative	alarmowi	alarmom
accusative	alarm	alarmy
instrumental	alarmem	alarmami
locative	alarmie	alarmach
vocative	alarmie	alarmy

Derived terms

• alarmować
• alarmowy

 

Further reading

• alarm in Polish dictionaries at PWN

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Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From French alarme.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ǎlarm/
• Hyphenation: a‧larm

Noun

àlarm m (Cyrillic spelling а̀ларм)

1. alarm

Declension

Declension of alarm

	singular	plural
nominative	alarm	alarmi
genitive	alarma	alarma
dative	alarmu	alarmima
accusative	alarm	alarme
vocative	alarme	alarmi
locative	alarmu	alarmima
instrumental	alarmom	alarmima

Derived terms

• àlarmnī
• lažni alarm

 

References

• “alarm” in Hrvatski jezični portal