What is "alarm clock"

Alarm \A*larm"\ ([.a]*l[aum]rm"), n. [F. alarme, It. all' arme to arms ! fr. L. arma, pl., arms. See Arms, and cf. Alarum.]

1. A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy.

   Arming to answer in a night alarm.
   --Shak.

2. 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.

3. A sudden attack; disturbance; broil. [R.] ``These home alarms.''
   --Shak.

   Thy palace fill with insults and alarms.
   --Pope.

4. 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.
   --Macaulay.

5. A mechanical contrivance for awaking persons from sleep, or rousing their attention; an alarum.

   Alarm bell, a bell that gives notice on danger.

   Alarm clock or watch, a clock or watch which can be so set as to ring or strike loudly at a prearranged hour, to wake from sleep, or excite attention.

   Alarm gauge, a contrivance attached to a steam boiler for showing when the pressure of steam is too high, or the water in the boiler too low.

   Alarm post, a place to which troops are to repair in case of an alarm.

   Syn: Fright; affright; terror; trepidation; apprehension; consternation; dismay; agitation; disquiet; disquietude.

   Usage: Alarm, Fright, Terror, Consternation. These words express different degrees of fear at the approach of danger. Fright is fear suddenly excited, producing confusion of the senses, and hence it is unreflecting. Alarm is the hurried agitation of feeling which springs from a sense of immediate and extreme exposure. Terror is agitating and excessive fear, which usually benumbs the faculties. Consternation is overwhelming fear, and carries a notion of powerlessness and amazement. Alarm agitates the feelings; terror disorders the understanding and affects the will; fright seizes on and confuses the sense; consternation takes possession of the soul, and subdues its faculties. See Apprehension.

Clock \Clock\ (kl[o^]k), n. [AS. clucge bell; akin to D. klok clock, bell, G. glocke, Dan. klokke, Sw. klocka, Icel. klukka bell, LL. clocca, cloca (whence F. cloche); al perh. of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. & Gael. clog bell, clock, W. cloch bell. Cf. Cloak.]

1. A machine for measuring time, indicating the hour and other divisions; in ordinary mechanical clocks for domestic or office use the time is indicated on a typically circular face or dial plate containing two hands, pointing to numbers engraved on the periphery of the face, thus showing the hours and minutes. The works of a mechanical clock are moved by a weight or a spring, and it is often so constructed as to tell the hour by the stroke of a hammer on a bell. In electrical or electronic clocks, the time may be indicated, as on a mechanical clock, by hands, but may also be indicated by direct digital readout, with the hours and minutes in normal Arabic numerals. The readout using hands is often called analog to distinguish it from the digital readout. Some clocks also indicate the seconds. Clocks are not adapted, like the watch, to be carried on the person. Specialized clocks, such as atomic clocks, may be constructed on different principles, and may have a very high precision for use in scientific observations.

2. A watch, esp. one that strikes. [Obs.]
   --Walton.

3. The striking of a clock. [Obs.]
   --Dryden.

4. A figure or figured work on the ankle or side of a stocking. --Swift. Note: The phrases what o'clock? it is nine o'clock, etc., are contracted from what of the clock? it is nine of the clock, etc. Alarm clock. See under Alarm. Astronomical clock.

   1. A clock of superior construction, with a compensating pendulum, etc., to measure time with great accuracy, for use in astronomical observatories; -- called a regulator when used by watchmakers as a standard for regulating timepieces.

   2. A clock with mechanism for indicating certain astronomical phenomena, as the phases of the moon, position of the sun in the ecliptic, equation of time, etc. Electric clock.

      1. A clock moved or regulated by electricity or electro-magnetism.

      2. A clock connected with an electro-magnetic recording apparatus.

         Ship's clock (Naut.), a clock arranged to strike from one to eight strokes, at half hourly intervals, marking the divisions of the ship's watches.

         Sidereal clock, an astronomical clock regulated to keep sidereal time.

n. A clock with an alarm that can be set to sound at a determined time.

n. a clock that wakes sleeper at preset time [syn: alarm]

Alarm Clock is a 1971 album by folk rock musician Richie Havens. It is his highest charting album, reaching number 29 on the Billboard Top 200 in the US. The opening track, a live cover of the Beatles' " Here Comes the Sun" would reach number 16 in the US as part of The Hoax soundtrack.

An alarm clock (or sometimes just an alarm) is a clock that is designed to make a sound, or some other signal, at a specific time. The primary utility of these clocks is to awaken people from their night's sleep or short naps; they are sometimes used for other reminders as well. Most use sound; some use light or vibration. Some have sensors to identify when a person is in a light stage of sleep, in order to avoid waking someone who is deeply asleep, which causes tiredness, even if the person has had adequate sleep. To stop the sound or light, a button or handle on the clock is pressed; most clocks automatically stop the alarm if left unattended long enough. A classic analog alarm clock has an extra hand or inset dial that is used to specify the time at which to activate the alarm. Alarm clocks are also found on mobile phones and watches.

Traditional mechanical alarm clocks have one or two bells that ring by means of a mainspring that powers a gear to propel a hammer back and forth between the two bells or between the interior sides of a single bell. In some models, the back encasement of the clock itself acts as the bell. In an electric bell-style alarm clock, the bell is rung by an electromagnetic circuit and armature that turns the circuit on and off repeatedly.

Digital alarm clocks can make other noises. Simple battery-powered alarm clocks make a loud buzzing or beeping sound to wake a sleeper, while novelty alarm clocks can speak, laugh, sing, or play sounds from nature.

Some alarm clocks have radios that can be set to start playing at specified times, and are known as clock radios. Some alarm clocks can set multiple alarms, a useful feature for couples who have different waking up schedules. A progressive alarm clock, still new in the market, can have different alarms for different times (see Next-Generation Alarms) and even play music of your choice. Most modern televisions, mobile phones and digital watches have alarm clock functions to turn on or make sounds at a specific time.