Back in the days before systems of mass communication had been developed to anything like the extent they are today, it was necessary that some means be used to call the inhabitants of a community together in case of a general alarm or for the dissemination of important news.
This was frequently done by means of an alarm bell, which was struck only on such special occasions.
And a tocsin is literally “a striking of the bell.”
The word was taken into English directly from the French, where it had slowly developed in form from the Old French toquassen, and to which, in turn, it had come from the Provençal tocasenh, “strike the bell.”
This is made up of tocar (from which came the French toucher), “to touch, to strike,” together with senh, “sign, bell,” the latter part from the Latin signum, “sign,” which, in Late Latin, also had the meaning of “bell.”
Related Posts
-
What does the word “gauntlet” mean and Where does the word gauntlet come from?
During the Thirty Years' War, which lasted from 1618 to 1648, the English forces observed a form of disciplinary punishment used among their German allies. It looked highly effective, so it was not…
-
What does the word incubus (succubus) mean and Where does the word “incubus” come from?
In the Middle Ages any woman who gave birth to a witch or sorceress was supposed to have been visited, in her sleep, by a male demon or evil spirit. The name given…
-
Where does the word “Toilet” come from and What does the word Toilet mean in French?
The word "toilet" has had a rather curious development in the little more than four hundred years it has been in the language. Its origin was the French toilette, the diminutive of wile,…
-
What Does the Word Scapegoat Mean and Where Did the Word Scapegoat Come From?
A Scapegoat is a member of a group singled out for undeserved blame or negative treatment. The word "scapegoat" is a mistranslation of the word Azazel. An early Greek translation of the Old…
-
What Does the Word “Clock” Mean in French and Where Did the Word For a Large Timepiece Come From?
Like cloche in French, the word clock literally means bell. When the large mechanical clock was invented in the fourteenth century it didn't tell time with a face and hands, but rather by…
-
What Does the Word “Gimmick” Mean and Where Did the Word Gimmick Come From?
Gimmick or gimac, either way it's spelled, a gimmick is a gadget or idea that gives you an advantage. The second spelling is an anagram of magic. The word comes from the language…
