fire alarm
Americannoun
-
a signal that warns that a fire has started.
-
a bell, buzzer, siren, horn, etc., that provides such a signal.
noun
-
a device to give warning of fire, esp a bell, siren, or hooter
-
a shout to warn that a fire has broken out
Etymology
Origin of fire alarm
An Americanism dating back to 1840–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Just after 06:00 on 27 December, the fire brigade in Gelsenkirchen and a private security firm received a fire alarm warning from the bank, which may have been triggered by the thieves.
From BBC
He also claimed one of the victims "pulled the fire alarm to get help", praising the boy as "a hero".
From BBC
Liverpool City Council said it had visited the building "informally" in February 2023 "to check room sizes for intended occupancy" and whether the fire alarm system was suitable.
From BBC
Then the fire alarm went off and everyone’s heads popped up as the lights in the lab changed to flashing bright strobes.
From Literature
Gina says it was the fire alarm triggering, which made people react - almost as if they had to be told to leave.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
