alarums and excursions
plural noun
(especially in Elizabethan drama) military action, as representative fragments of a battle, sound effects of trumpets, or clash of arms: used as a stage direction.
any noisy, frantic, or disorganized activity.
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Nearby words
alarm clock, alarm reaction, alarming, alarmist, alarum, alarums and excursions, alary, alas, alas, poor yorick!, alas., alaska
Origin of alarums and excursions
First recorded in 1585–95
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019