Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Old French
Origin: toquassen, from Old Provençal tocasenh, from tocar 'to touch, ring a bell' + senh 'bell' (from Latin signum; SIGN1)

tocsin

 noun
     
toc‧sin [countable]
a loud warning bell, used in the past
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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