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
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