alarums and excursions

plural noun

1
: martial sounds and the movement of soldiers across the stage
used as a stage direction in Elizabethan drama
2
: clamor, excitement, and feverish or disordered activity

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of alarums and excursions was in 1605

Dictionary Entries Near alarums and excursions

Cite this Entry

“Alarums and excursions.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alarums%20and%20excursions. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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