alert
Noun · Verb · AdjectiveOpen English WordNet
Verb (1)alerts, alerted, alerting
Adjective (3)
- engaged in or accustomed to close observation“caught by a couple of alert cops”“alert enough to spot the opportunity when it came”“constantly alert and vigilant, like a sentinel on duty”Synonyms: watchfulOpposite unalertSimilar argus-eyed, lidless, fly, heads-upSee also wary, awake, lively
- quick and energetic“a brisk walk in the park”“a lively gait”“a merry chase”“traveling at a rattling rate”“a snappy pace”“a spanking breeze”Synonyms: brisklivelymerryrattlingsnappyspankingzippyOpposite lethargicSimilar energetic
- mentally perceptive and responsive“an alert mind”“alert to the problems”“alive to what is going on”“awake to the dangers of her situation”“was now awake to the reality of his predicament”Synonyms: aliveawakeOpposite incognizantSimilar aware, cognizant
Noun (3)alerts
- condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action“bombers were put on alert during the crisis”Synonyms: qui viveType of readiness, preparednessKinds air alert, strip alert, red alert
- a warning serves to make you more alert to dangerSynonyms: alertingType of warningExamples Emergency Alert System, EAS
- an automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of dangerSynonyms: alarmwarning signalalarumType of signal, signalingKinds horn, torpedo, siren, red flag, tocsin, air alert, fire alarm, foghorn, burglar alarm
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Translations
Adjective attentive, watchful
Noun an alarm
The main translation for each meaning, from the langtolang.com multilingual dictionary. Each word links to its full entry there.
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: F. alerte, earlier à l'erte on the watch, fr. It. all' erta on the watch, prop. (standing) on a height, where one can look around; erta a declivity, steep, erto steep, p. p. of ergere, erigere, to erect, raise, L. erigere. See Erect.
1. Watchful; vigilant; active in vigilance.
2. Brisk; nimble; moving with celerity.
An alert young fellow.— Joseph Addison
Synonyms: Active; agile; lively; quick; prompt.
Military An alarm from a real or threatened attack; a sudden attack; also, a bugle sound to give warning. “We have had an alert.” Farrow, Edward S.
On the alert, on the lookout or watch against attack or danger; ready to act.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54
Free On-line Dictionary of Computing
<operating system> /*'l*rt/ An audible and/or visual message intended to inform a system's users or administrators about a change in the operating conditions of that system or about some kind of error condition. In a graphical user interface, an alert would typically be displayed as a small window containing the message and a button to click to dismiss the window.
(1999-03-29)