- [countable, usually singular] 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.
- By the time the alarm was raised the intruders had escaped.
Extra ExamplesTopics Dangerb1, Houses and homesb1- Many birds give alarm calls to warn of danger.
- Suddenly the alarm sounded and they all had to leave the building.
- Soldier termites sound an alarm by beating their large heads on passage walls.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- false
- give
- raise
- sound
- …
- call
- [countable] a device that warns people of a particular danger, or that a particular person is in 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).
- Carry a personal alarm with you.
- Install an alarm system and learn how to use it.
Extra ExamplesTopics Dangerb1- Unfortunately any little noise can set off the alarm.
- Many colleges hand out rape alarms to women students.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- fire
- smoke
- burglar
- …
- set
- activate
- set off
- …
- go off
- ring
- sound
- …
- bell
- clock
- system
- …
- [countable] a ringing sound or a tune played by a clock or your phone after you have set it to play at a particular time to wake you up
- The alarm went off at 7 o'clock.
- I set my alarm for 6.30.
- [uncountable] fear and worry that somebody feels when something dangerous or unpleasant might happen
- in alarm ‘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.
Synonyms fearfearterror ▪ panic ▪ alarm ▪ frightThese are all words for the bad feeling you have when you are afraid.fear the bad feeling that you have when you are in danger or when a particular thing frightens you:- (a) fear of flying
- She showed no fear.
- Her eyes were wild with terror.
- I had a sudden moment of panic.
- The doctor said there was no cause for alarm.
- She cried out in fright.
- a fear/terror of something
- in fear/terror/panic/alarm/fright
- fear/terror/panic/alarm that…
- to be filled with fear/terror/panic/alarm
- a feeling of fear/terror/panic/alarm
Extra ExamplesTopics Dangerb2, Feelingsb2- To her parents' alarm, she announced that she intended to travel the world.
- His face registered no alarm at all when I told him the news.
- Many people have expressed alarm at the plans.
- The head teacher's policies have provoked alarm among parents.
- The incident created serious public alarm.
- The news has been greeted with alarm.
- There has been considerable alarm about the new proposals.
- There is growing public alarm at this increase in crime.
- We had no wish to spread alarm.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- considerable
- great
- growing
- …
- cause
- create
- provoke
- …
- in alarm
- to somebody’s alarm
- with alarm
- …
- cause for alarm
Word Originlate Middle English (as an exclamation meaning ‘to arms!’): from Old French alarme, from Italian allarme, from all' arme! ‘to arms!’.
Idioms
See alarm in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee alarm in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishalarm bells ring/are ringing
- if you say that alarm bells are ringing, you mean that people are starting to feel worried and to suspect that something is wrong
- The government’s proposal has set alarm bells ringing for people on low incomes.
Check pronunciation:
alarm