alarm bell

noun

Definition of alarm bell

: a bell that sounds when an alarm is activated —often used figuratively … the Mexican swine flu outbreak that is sounding alarm bells [=causing people to become worried or alarmed] across the world …— Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2009 The spike in oil prices has set off alarm bells across the automobile industry.

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The first known use of alarm bell was in 1548

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