warning bell
1
2.7
- noun
- /ˈwɔrnɪŋ bɛl/
:
campana de alarma
- Witnesses described people screaming as the warning bells at the crossing went off and the train blasted its horn.
Examples
-
The loud warning bell rang through the streets, alerting residents of the approaching storm.
-
When the fire started, the warning bell sounded to evacuate the building immediately.
-
A loud warning bell went off.
Fiction book (1992) -
The word tolls inside my head like a warning bell.
Fiction book (1999) -
Our Skyways Sultan pushed every button he could find, but couldn't seem to silence the fire warning bell.
Fiction book (1999) -
So I'm going to have little warning bells that will detect the silane gas if it's a leaking and tell people to get the heck out of the building if if it starts being leaked.
-
As soon as the warning bell rang, students knew they had to leave the classroom quickly.
Synonyms
842
1.0
A device that makes a loud sound to warn or wake people
259
2.9
A machine that makes a loud wailing sound to warn people
183
1.0
A device that makes a loud sound to warn or signal people
104
1.0
A small machine that makes a low, repeating sound to tell people something
7
2.2
A bell that rings to warn people of danger or an emergency
7
3.2
A light that turns on in vehicles or machines to show a problem
5
3.2
A loud sound or flashing light that tells people there is danger
1
3.7
A sign that something dangerous may happen
A bell or loud sound that warns people of danger
Antonyms
How Loud
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an event or signal that alerts people to a potential problem' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'warning' (a message alerting to danger) with 'bell' (a signaling device). This is a straightforward compositional noun-noun combination following common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Warning bell originally referred to a real bell that was rung to warn people of 'danger'. When a village bell rang to shout 'fire' or another danger, people knew to act fast, so the phrase now means 'an alarm' or a signal to take action.