Adjacent Words

Tocsin definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

TOC'SIN, n. An alarm bell, or the ringing of a bell for the purpose of alarm.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the sound of an alarm (usually a bell) [syn: tocsin, alarm bell]
2: a bell used to sound an alarm [syn: tocsin, warning bell]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle French toquassen, from Old Occitan tocasenh, from tocar to touch, ring a bell (from Vulgar Latin *toccare) + senh sign, bell, from Medieval Latin & Latin signum; Medieval Latin, bell, from Late Latin, ringing of a bell, from Latin, mark, sign — more at touch, sign Date: 1586 1. an alarm bell or the ringing of it 2. a warning signal

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. an alarm bell or signal. Etymology: F f. OF touquesain, toquassen f. Prov. tocasenh f. tocar TOUCH + senh signal-bell

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tocsin Toc"sin, n. [F., fr. OF. toquier to touch, F. toquer (originally, a dialectic form of F. toucher) + seint (for sein) a bell, LL. signum, fr. L. signum a sign, signal. See Touch, and Sign.] An alarm bell, or the ringing of a bell for the purpose of alarm. The loud tocsin tolled their last alarm. --Campbell.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Alarm, alarum, alarm-bell.

Moby Thesaurus

Klaxon, Mayday, SOS, air-raid alarm, alarm, alarm bell, alarm clock, alarm signal, alarum, alert, all clear, beacon, 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