Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ALARUMS AND EXCURSIONS

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connect today's word to others: Today's term comes from the stage. When you notice a big fussy uproar or commotion, with people running around higgledy-piggledy, you can call it alarums and excursions, in reference to Shakespeare's stage directions for battle scenes. Try to recall another term from the stage, one that means "a person or thing that suddenly shows up at just the right time and completely fixes a problem." Here's an example: "Spoiler alert: the plot of Journey to the Centre of the Earth relies on a d___ e_ m______ that'll make you scoff." (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "ALARUMS AND EXCURSIONS" "Alarum" means the same thing as "alarm;" it's just a different and more old-fashioned way of saying and writing it. Think of how an alarm can be a call to arms: one that tells everyone to gather their weapons and get ready to fend off an attack. And an excursion is the act of running off. So, look in some of Shakespeare's plays, where a battle scene is starting, and you'll see some stage directions: "Alarme, excursions." It means "On the stage, there should be loud cries and people running around like crazy everywhere." Alarums and excursions, then, are noisy, confused motions that groups of people make when they're suddenly very worried or excited. Pronunciation: uh LAR umz and ick SKUR zyunz Part of speech: Plural noun. Talk about alarums and excursions, the alarums and excursions, these alarums and excursions, some alarums and excursions, etc. Other forms: You can write "alarms and excursions" if you prefer, but it's less common. How to use it: This term is usually funny: you use it to emphasize how silly and dramatic people are being when they react by freaking out, as if they're preparing for a sudden battle by shouting and rushing from place to place. Say that there are alarums and excursions in a place or situation, that a place or situation is full of alarums and excursions, or that alarums and excursions are coming from, issuing from, or attending a place or situation. Or, say that people are spending their time in alarums and excursions, or that they're doing something with (or without any) alarms and excursions. You can follow this phrase with a word like "involving" or "concerning:" "I've grown deaf to their alarums and excursions concerning Game of Thrones." examples: Midway through the episode, the remodeling team will stumble on some dire issue, say, an infestation of mold or mice, or a tree whose roots threaten the very foundation of the home, and that'll trigger four or five minutes of alarums and excursions. I can't seem to focus on that problem; it's always attended by mental alarums and excursions. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "alarums and excursions" means when you can explain it without saying "everybody freaking out" or "ado." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "In my (family, classroom, workplace, group of friends, etc.), (a specific problem OR an exciting opportunity) can set off endless alarums and excursions." Example: "At the learning center, news of a redesigned standardized exam could set off endless alarums and excursions." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing with The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. It's a collection of silly, sarcastic, satirical definitions of everyday words, and--lucky us!--it's in the public domain. In each issue this month, I'll give you one of Bierce's definitions and, if it's a tough one, I'll give you the word's first letter. And you try to come up with the word. From our previous issue: Bierce defines it as "to lay the foundation for a future offence." It's a verb. It starts with A. What is it? Answer: Apologize. Try this today: Bierce defines it as "a favorite weapon of the assassins of character." It's a noun. It starts with R. What is it? review today's word: 1. A close opposite of ALARUMS AND EXCURSIONS is A. FREEDOM B. TRANQUILITY C. EXPLORATION 2. Their _____ department can _____ without any alarums and excursions. A. public relations .. address a crisis B. human resources .. prepare an accurate job description C. accounting and finance .. keep an eye on long-term business strategies Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A