alert

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Awake, watchful, and quick to notice things.

   A good driver stays alert at all times.

2. 2
   verb

   To warn someone of a danger or problem.

   I alerted them to the approaching storm.

3. 3
   noun

   A warning of danger, or a state of being ready to act.

   Bombers were put on alert during the crisis.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Alert came through French from the Italian military phrase all’ erta, meaning “on the lookout,” literally “to the watch” or “lookout point.” It entered English in the early 17th century as a military term and acquired its broader meaning later that century.

From French alerte (“alert”), from the phrase à l'erte (“on the watch”), from Italian all'erta (“to the height”), from erta (“lookout, tower”).

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary