clarion

clarion — noun

1. a powerful message or public statement that demands that people take action or r

1.名詞C1
釋義

a powerful message or public statement that demands that people take action or respond to an important need

例句

The governor's address was a clarion call for teachers to return to the classroom.

clarion call for [action]

Meera heard the report as a clarion to fight for equal education rights.

同義詞
  • appeal

    softer and more polite than 'clarion'; can be a request rather than a demand

  • rallying cry

    more emotional and often used in protest or movement contexts

  • summons

    more official or legal; implies an authority calling someone to appear

文法句型

a clarion call for [something]

serve as a clarion

用法筆記

Often appears in the fixed phrase 'clarion call,' although the noun alone can also refer to the message itself. The word is formal and more common in written or rhetorical contexts than in everyday conversation.

常見錯誤

The clarion call were heard by everyone.
The clarion call was heard by everyone.
💡'clarion call' is a singular noun phrase and takes a singular verb.
I received a clarion call from my friend to meet for coffee.
The activist's speech was a clarion call for climate action.
💡'clarion call' is used for serious, important appeals, not casual invitations.

2. a long, straight brass instrument used in Europe during the Middle Ages, played

2.名詞C2
釋義

a long, straight brass instrument used in Europe during the Middle Ages, played by blowing into one end to produce a loud, high-pitched sound, especially in battle or at ceremonies

例句

The museum displayed a 14th-century clarion made of brass and silver.

Naoko studied how medieval armies used a clarion to signal troop movements on the battlefield.

同義詞
  • trumpet

    a broader, more common term that includes the clarion as one specific type

  • bugle

    a simpler brass instrument without valves, but from a later period than the clarion

  • horn

    a general term for wind instruments made from animal horn or metal

用法筆記

This historical instrument sense is very rare in modern English and is mainly encountered in historical writing, museum descriptions, or medieval-themed fiction.

常見錯誤

He played a clarion in the school band.
He played a trumpet in the school band.
💡The modern trumpet is a different instrument; 'clarion' refers to a specific medieval instrument, not a modern band instrument.

3. the loud, clear ringing noise produced by a clarion or by something that makes a

3.名詞C2
釋義

the loud, clear ringing noise produced by a clarion or by something that makes a similar high-pitched sound

例句

A clear clarion rang out from the tower at dawn, waking the village.

rang out

Haruto woke to the clarion of the temple horn echoing through the hills.

同義詞
  • blast

    a strong, sudden burst of sound; less specific than 'clarion'

  • fanfare

    a short, lively tune played on trumpets, usually celebratory; 'clarion' is a single sound, not a melody

  • call

    a sound made to signal or attract attention; broader and less literary than 'clarion'

文法句型

the clarion of [something]

常見錯誤

A clarion is a type of loud music.
A clarion is the clear sound made by a trumpet-like instrument.
💡'Clarion' refers to the sound itself, not a genre or style of music.

clarion — adjective