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Alarm vs Alter - What's the difference?

alarm | alter |

In transitive terms the difference between alarm and alter

is that alarm is to keep in excitement; to disturb while alter is to castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).

As a noun alarm

is a summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy.

alarm

English

Alternative forms

* alarum

Noun

  • A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy.
  • ''Arming to answer in a night alarm . --Shakespeare.
  • Any sound or information intended to give notice of approaching danger; a warning sound to arouse attention; a warning of danger.
  • ''Sound an alarm in my holy mountain. --Joel ii. 1.
  • A sudden attack; disturbance.
  • * Shakespeare
  • these home alarms
  • * Alexander Pope
  • thy palace fill with insults and alarms
  • Sudden surprise with fear or terror excited by apprehension of danger; in the military use, commonly, sudden apprehension of being attacked by surprise.
  • ''Alarm and resentment spread throughout the camp. --.
  • A mechanical device for awaking people, or rousing their attention.
  • ''The clockradio is a friendlier version of the cold alarm by the bedside
  • An instance of an alarum ringing or clanging, to give a noise signal at a certain time.
  • ''You should set the alarm on your watch to go off at seven o'clock.

    See also

    * tocsin

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To call to arms for defense
  • To give (someone) notice of approaching danger
  • To rouse to vigilance and action; to put on the alert.
  • To surprise with apprehension of danger; to fill with anxiety in regard to threatening evil; to excite with sudden fear.
  • To keep in excitement; to disturb.
  • References

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    alter

    English

    Alternative forms

    * altre (obsolete)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To change the form or structure of.
  • * Bible, Psalms lxxxix. 34
  • My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
  • * Shakespeare
  • No power in Venice can alter a decree.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • It gilds all objects, but it alters none.
  • To become different.
  • To tailor clothes to make them fit.
  • To castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).
  • (obsolete) To agitate; to affect mentally.
  • (Milton)

    Derived terms

    * alterer * alterability * alterative * alterable * alterably

    Anagrams

    * * * * * ----