alarm

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”).

noun

1. A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy.
2. Any sound or information intended to give notice of approaching danger; a warning sound to arouse attention; a warning of danger.
   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. 1859, Charles Dickens, The Haunted House
3. A sudden attack; disturbance.
4. Sudden surprise with fear or terror excited by apprehension of danger; in the military use, commonly, sudden apprehension of being attacked by surprise.
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.

verb

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.