- [countable, usually singular]
a loud noise or a signal that warns people of danger or of a problem 警报 She decided to sound the alarm (= warn people that the situation was dangerous). 她决定发出警报。 I hammered on all the doors to raise the alarm. 我敲打所有的门让大家警觉。 By the time the alarm was raised the intruders had escaped. 警报响起时，入侵者已经逃走了。
Extra ExamplesTopics Dangerb1, Houses and homesb1Many birds give alarm calls to warn of danger. 许多鸟都会发出危险警报。 Suddenly the alarm sounded and they all had to leave the building. 突然警报响起来，他们不得不全部撤离大楼。 Soldier termites sound an alarm by beating their large heads on passage walls. 白蚁士兵用他们的大头敲打通道的墙壁来发出警报。
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 警报器 a burglar/fire/smoke alarm 防盗／防火／烟雾警报器 The cat set off the alarm (= made it start ringing). 猫碰响了警铃。 A car alarm went off in the middle of the night (= started ringing). 半夜里一辆汽车的警报器突然响了起来。 Carry a personal alarm with you. 随身携带个人报警器。 Install an alarm system and learn how to use it. 安装一个报警系统，学习如何使用它。
Extra ExamplesTopics Dangerb1Unfortunately any little noise can set off the alarm. 可惜，一丁点儿声音都能触响警报器。 Lizzie was carrying a rape alarm but it was out of reach in her handbag. 莉齐带着防强奸警报器，但却放在手提包 够不 。
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 （时钟或手机的）闹铃 - [uncountable]
fear and worry that somebody feels when something dangerous or unpleasant might happen 惊恐；惊慌；恐慌 - in alarm
What have you done?’ Ellie cried in alarm. “你干了些什么？” 埃利惊恐地喊道。 I felt a growing sense of alarm when he did not return that night. 那天夜里他没有回家，我越来越感到恐慌。 The doctor said there was no cause for alarm. 医生说不必惊慌。
Synonyms fearfear- terror
- panic
- alarm
- fright
- fear the bad feeling that you have when you are in danger or when a particular thing frightens you:
(a) fear of flying 害怕坐飞机 She showed no fear. 她毫无惧色。
- terror a feeling of extreme fear:
Her eyes were wild with terror. 她的眼睛里充满了恐惧。
- panic a sudden feeling of great fear that cannot be controlled and prevents you from thinking clearly:
I had a sudden moment of panic. 我突然一阵惊慌。
- alarm fear or worry that somebody feels when something dangerous or unpleasant might happen:
The doctor said there was no cause for alarm. 医生说不必惊慌。
- fright a feeling of fear, usually sudden:
She cried out in fright. 她吓得大声叫喊。
fear or fright? 用 fear 还是 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, Feelingsb2To her parents' alarm, she announced that she intended to travel the world. 她说她打算环游世界，让父母很担心。 His face registered no alarm at all when I told him the news. 我告诉他这一消息时，他脸上没露出丝毫的惊慌。 Many people have expressed alarm at the plans. 许多人对这些计划表示担忧。 The head teacher's policies have provoked alarm among parents. 校长的政策引起了家长的恐慌。 The incident created serious public alarm. 这一事件使公众深感忧虑。 The news has been greeted with alarm. 人们听到这一消息感到惶恐不安。 There has been considerable alarm about the new proposals. 人们对这些新建议感到非常担忧。 There is growing public alarm at this increase in crime. 公众对罪案的增加越来越感到担忧。 He loves spreading alarm and despondency. 他喜欢散布恐慌和沮丧的情绪。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- considerable
- great
- growing
- …
- cause
- create
- provoke
- …
- in alarm
- to somebody’s alarm
- with alarm
- …
- cause for alarm
- in alarm
Word Originlate Middle English (as an exclamation meaning ‘to arms!’): from Old French alarme, from Italian allarme, from all' arme! ‘to arms!’.
Idioms
alarm 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 警钟敲响；发出危险信号 The government’s proposal has set alarm bells ringing for people on low incomes. 政府的提议为低收入人群敲响了警钟。