prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (Default)
prettygoodword ([personal profile] prettygoodword) wrote2008-01-25 07:12 am

tocsin

tocsin - n., an alarm on a bell, a bell used to sound alarms.


Or in general, a warning or omen. From Middle French toquassen, an alarm bell, the ringing of an alarm bell from Provencal tocasenh, from tocar, to strike (from Latin toccare, to touch, strike) + senh, bell, (from Late Latin signum bell, from Latin signum, mark, signal).

---L.