tocsin

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: toc=sin

CIDE DICTIONARY

tocsin, 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.  [1913 Webster]
"The loud tocsin tolled their last alarm."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tocsin, n. an alarm bell or signal.

Etymology

F f. OF touquesain, toquassen f. Prov. tocasenh f. tocar TOUCH + senh signal-bell

THESAURUS

tocsin

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

ROGET THESAURUS

tocsin

Alarm

N alarm, alarum, larum, alarm bell, tocsin, alerts, beat of drum, sound of trumpet, note of alarm, hue and cry, fire cross, signal of distress, blue lights, war-cry, war- whoop, warning, fogsignal, foghorn, yellow flag, danger signal, red light, red flag, fire bell, police whistle, false alarm, cry of wolf, bug-bear, bugaboo, alarming, Int, sauve qui peut!, every man for himself!, qui vive?.