false alarm (English, noun)
expansion: false alarm (plural false alarms)
Senses:
qualifier: literal
glosses: A warning signal (such as the call of sentry, the ringing of a bell, or the shriek of a siren) which turns out to have been given erroneously.
glosses: A thing or occurrence which initially causes fear, distress, etc. but which is subsequently recognized as being no cause for concern.
tags: broadly
idiomatic
glosses: A person who pretends to be more accomplished or a thing that seems to be of higher quality than is later found to be the case.
tags: archaic
idiomatic
Forms:
form: false alarms
tags: plural