1. (n.) A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy.
2. (n.) Any sound or information intended to give notice of approaching danger; a warning sound to arouse attention; a warning of danger.
3. (n.) A sudden attack; disturbance; broil.
4. (n.) Sudden surprise with fear or terror excited by apprehension of danger; in the military use, commonly, sudden apprehension of being attacked by surprise.
5. (n.) A mechanical contrivance for awaking persons from sleep, or rousing their attention; an alarum.
6. (v. t.) To call to arms for defense; to give notice to (any one) of approaching danger; to rouse to vigilance and action; to put on the alert.
7. (v. t.) To keep in excitement; to disturb.
8. (v. t.) To surprise with apprehension of danger; to fill with anxiety in regard to threatening evil; to excite with sudden fear.
Thesaurus Entries
Angelus, Angelus bell, Roman candle, abject fear, admonishment, admonition, affright, aid to navigation, alarum, alert, amaze, amber light, anxiety, apprehension, arouse, astonish, awe, balefire, battle cry, beacon, beacon fire, bell, bell buoy, birdcall, blinker, blue funk, blue peter, bugle call, buoy, call, caution, caution light, caveat, cold feet, consternation, cowardice, cry havoc, cry wolf, curdle the blood, daunt, deterrent example, discomfort, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, dread, example, excitement, fear, final notice, final warning, flare, fly storm warnings, fog bell, fog signal, fog whistle, foghorn, forewarning, fright, frighten, funk, glance, go light, gong, gong buoy, green light, heliograph, high sign, hint, horn, horrification, horripilate, horror, international alphabet flag, international numeral pennant, kick, last post, leer, lesson, make one tremble, marker beacon, monition, moose call, moral, nervousness, nod, notice, notification, nudge, object lesson, panic, panic fear, parachute flare, phobia, pilot flag, poke, police whistle, prenotice, quarantine flag, radio beacon, raise apprehensions, rallying cry, rebel yell, red flag, red light, reveille, rocket, sailing aid, scare, semaphore, semaphore flag, semaphore telegraph, shake, sign, signal, signal beacon, signal bell, signal fire, signal flag, signal gong, signal gun, signal lamp, signal light, signal mast, signal post, signal rocket, signal shot, signal siren, signal tower, siren, sound the alarm, sound the tocsin, spar buoy, spook, stagger, stampede, startle, stop light, strain, stress, summons, surprise, taps, tension, terrify, terror, terrorize, the nod, the wink, threat, tip-off, tocsin, touch, traffic light, traffic signal, trepidation, trumpet call, ultimatum, uneasiness, unholy dread, unman, unnerve, unstring, upset, verbum sapienti, war cry, warn, warning, warning piece, watch fire, whistle, white flag, wigwag, wigwag flag, wink, yellow flag
