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Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun An alarm sounded on a bell.
- noun A bell used to sound an alarm.
- noun A warning; an omen.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A signal given by means of a bell or bells; especially, a signal of alarm or of need; hence, any warning note or signal.
- noun A bell used to sound an alarm; an alarm-bell.
- noun Milit., an alarm-drum formerly used as a signal for charging.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun An alarm bell, or the ringing of a bell for the purpose of alarm.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun An
alarm or othersignal sounded by abell or bells, especially with reference to France. - noun A
bell used to sound an alarm.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun the sound of an alarm (usually a bell)
- noun a bell used to sound an alarm
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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That night the sound of the tocsin was again heard, mingling with the booming of cannon.
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His purpose was seen by us at once, and seen with fresh alarm; for, if he had been able to reach the great bell, the terrible 'tocsin' would have aroused the country for ten leagues round, and have poured a hundred thousand armed peasantry into Paris.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine — Volume 54, No. 333, July 1843 Various
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The tocsin is the signal for our people in the salient. "
Barbarians 1899
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At a meeting this week organized by the Council on Foreign Relations, as part of its Religion and Foreign Policy Initiative, five leaders of the Christian churches in Sudan, on a tocsin tour of the United States, reflected on where things have come as a result.
The Council On Foreign Relations Religion And Foreign Policy Series: Sudan And The Bitter National Muslim-Christian Marriage: The Huffington Post News Team 2010
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At a meeting this week organized by the Council on Foreign Relations, as part of its Religion and Foreign Policy Initiative, five leaders of the Christian churches in Sudan, on a tocsin tour of the United States, reflected on where things have come as a result.
The Council On Foreign Relations Religion And Foreign Policy Series: Sudan And The Bitter National Muslim-Christian Marriage: Josh Fleet 2010
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On the circular base of his apparatus he installed glass jars, in each of which a leech was imprisoned and attached to a fine chain that led up to a miniature belfry -- from whence the tinkling tocsin would be sounded on the approach of a tempest.
Boing Boing 2009
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At a meeting this week organized by the Council on Foreign Relations, as part of its Religion and Foreign Policy Initiative, five leaders of the Christian churches in Sudan, on a tocsin tour of the United States, reflected on where things have come as a result.
The Council On Foreign Relations Religion And Foreign Policy Series: Sudan And The Bitter National Muslim-Christian Marriage: Josh Fleet 2010
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But that's what Pelosi did, directing her righteous tocsin to the Norman Rockwell-like gatherings of Americans who opposed her expansion of government this past summer.
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The US for its part needs those precious liquid fuels too, and China's torquing of global climate rings the dread tocsin in the American bell tower.
Michael Vlahos: America and China: Partners or Rivals? Michael Vlahos 2011
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The tocsin bell hanging from its collar was fulfilling its mission.
Knell Quarternion 2010
Related Words
synonyms (47)
Words with the same meaning
- Klaxon
- Mayday
- SOS
- air-raid alarm
- alarm
- alarm bell
- alarm clock
- alarm signal
- alarum
- alert
- all clear
- beacon
- bel
- blinking light
- burglar alarm
- buzzer
- crostarie
- fiery cross
- fire alarm
- fire bell
- fire flag
- five-minute gun
- flashing light
- fog bell
- fog signal
- foghorn
- gale warning
- hooter
- horn
- hue and cry
- hurricane warning
- lighthouse
- note of alarm
- occulting light
- police whistle
- sign
- signal
- signal of distress
- siren
- small-craft warning
- still alarm
- storm cone
- storm flag
- storm warning
- two-minute gun
- upside-down flag
- whistle
whichbe commented on the word tocsin
Alarm bell.
May 16, 2008
stackpool commented on the word tocsin
It's a homophone of "toxin" ... maybe why people don't use that word so much any more...
August 26, 2009
stackpool commented on the word tocsin
Okay, so I just had to go find the etymology:
French, alteration of toquassen, from Old French touque-sain, from Old Provençal tocasenh : tocar, to strike (from Vulgar Latin *toccre) + senh, bell (from Late Latin signum, from Latin, signal; see sign).
August 26, 2009
stackpool commented on the word tocsin
Okay, so I just had to go find the etymology:
French, alteration of toquassen, from Old French touque-sain, from Old Provençal tocasenh : tocar, to strike (from Vulgar Latin *toccre) + senh, bell (from Late Latin signum, from Latin, signal; see sign).
August 26, 2009