also 6–7 allarum, alarum. [f. the sb. Cf. Fr. alarmer, of which Littré has no instance bef. 17th c.; not in Cotgr. 1611, either as Eng. or Fr.]
† 1. To call to arms. a. intr. Obs.
c. 1590. Marlowe, 2nd Pt. Tamburl., III. iii. Trumpets and drums, alarum presently.
1718. Pope, Iliad, II. 93. Now, valiant chiefs! since heaven itself alarms, Unite.
† b. trans. Obs.
1645. Pagitt, Heresiogr. (1662), 287. They alarumed the trained-band that was to watch all that day.
1671. Crowne, Juliana, I. 4. The troops are all alarum’d.
† 2. To rouse to action, urge on, incite. Obs.
1605. Shaks., Macb., II. i. 53. Wither’d Murther, Alarum’d by his Centinell, the Wolfe, Whose howl’s his Watch … towards his designe Moves like a Ghost.
1662. Fuller, Worthies, I. 237. This allarumed the Londoners to rescue poor Pateshul.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 47, ¶ 2. At Epsom, there is at present a young Lady … who has alarmed all the Vain and the Impertinent to infest that Quarter.
1768. Beattie, Minstr., I. iv. Nor him whose sordid soul the love of gold alarms.
3. To arouse to a sense of danger, to excite the attention or suspicion of, to put on the alert.
1651. Jer. Taylor, Serm. (1850), i. 18. Alarumed into caution and sobriety.
1684. Otway, Atheist, V. (1735), 113. If you squeak, and think to alarum the house.
1727. De Foe, Apparitions, vi. 94. To alarm us at the approach of impending mischief.
1783. Cowper, Task, III. 185. Great crimes alarm the conscience.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 250. For the purpose of alarming the guards.
† b. To inform or notify of anything dangerous, to warn. Obs. rare.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 80, ¶ 3. Before Brunetta could be alarmed of their Arrival.
4. To keep in excitement; to disturb, perturb.
1661. C. Lyttelton, in Hatton Corr. (1878), 22. We have beene mightily alarumd here with reports of plotts.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 86. Intestine Broils allarm the Hive.
1872. Black, Adv. Phaeton, xvi. 222. Sellers of fruit and of fish … alarming the air with their invitations.
5. To strike with fear or apprehension of danger; to agitate or excite with sudden fear.
1653. A. Wilson, James I., 189. The King was again Alarum’d by this Protestation.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 7, ¶ 2. A Screech-Owl at Midnight has alarmed a Family more than a Band of Robbers.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. IV. iv. 128. These events alarmed (him) into submission.
1877. in Fam. Herald, 27 Oct., 406/1. You alarm me with that long prologue.
Mod. I am alarmed at the aspect of affairs.
6. intr. To sound like an alarm or alarum.
1839. Poe, Ho. of Usher, Wks. 1864, I. 306. The noise of the dry and hollow-sounding wood alarummed and reverberated throughout the forest.
