Tocsin \Toc"sin\, n. [F., fr. OF. toquier to touch, F. toquer (originally, a dialectic form of F. toucher) + seint (for sein) a bell, LL. signum, fr. L. signum a sign, signal. See {Touch}, and {Sign}.] An alarm bell, or the ringing of a bell for the purpose of alarm.
The loud tocsin tolled their last alarm. --Campbell.
On Thursday he said, "I don't think the status quo can go on forever." On the other hand, the president also told reporters in Orlando, Fla., that "I'm not trying to sound the tocsin of war."