A siren is a warning device which makes a long, loud noise. Most fire engines, ambulances, and police cars have sirens.
It sounds like an air raid siren.
Synonyms: alert, warning, signal, alarm More Synonyms of siren
2. countable noun
Some people refer to a woman as a siren when they think that she is attractive to men but dangerous in some way.
[literary]
He depicts her as a siren who has drawn him to his ruin.
...the voluptuous siren with a husky voice.
Synonyms: seductress, vamp [informal], femme fatale, witch More Synonyms of siren
3.
See siren call/siren song
siren in British English
(ˈsaɪərən)
noun
1.
a device for emitting a loud wailing sound, esp as a warning or signal, typically consisting of a rotating perforated metal drum through which air or steam is passed under pressure
2. (sometimes capital) Greek mythology
one of several sea nymphs whose seductive singing was believed to lure sailors to destruction on the rocks the nymphs inhabited
3.
a.
a woman considered to be dangerously alluring or seductive
b.
(as modifier)
her siren charms
4.
any aquatic eel-like salamander of the North American family Sirenidae, having external gills, no hind limbs, and reduced forelimbs
Word origin
C14: from Old French sereine, from Latin sīrēn, from Greek seirēn
siren in American English
(ˈsaɪrən)
noun
1. Classical Mythology
any of several sea nymphs, represented as part bird and part woman, who lure sailors to their death on rocky coasts by seductive singing
2.
a woman who uses her sexual attractiveness to entice or allure men; a woman who is considered seductive
3.
a.
an acoustical device in which steam or air is driven against a rotating, perforated disk so as to produce sound; specif., such a device producing a loud, often wailing sound,used esp. as a warning signal
b.
an electronic device that produces a similar sound
4.
any of a family (Sirenidae) of slender, eel-shaped salamanders without hind legs; esp., the mud eel
Word origin
ME syrene < OFr < LL Sirena, for L Siren < Gr Seirēn < ? seira, cord, rope (hence, orig. ? one who snares, entangles) < IE base *twer-, to grasp
Examples of 'siren' in a sentence
siren
Feet sounded on the deck, the thud of a heavy rope against the hull, the blare of a siren.
Innes, Hammond HIGH STAND (2001)
He jumped into the car, stuck the bubble light on the roof, and hit the siren and gas.
Wood, Bari DOLL'S EYES (2001)
She checked her mirrors constantly, half-expecting the chilling siren of a pursuing police car.
Mark Burnell THE RHYTHM SECTION (2001)
Word lists with
siren
amphibian
In other languages
siren
British English: siren /ˈsaɪərən/ NOUN
A siren is a warning device which makes a long, loud, wailing noise. Most fire engines, ambulances, and police cars have sirens.
We heard a police siren.
American English: siren
Arabic: صَفَّارَةُ الْإِنْذَار
Brazilian Portuguese: sirene
Chinese: 汽笛
Croatian: sirena
Czech: siréna
Danish: sirene
Dutch: sirene
European Spanish: sirena alarma
Finnish: sireeni
French: sirène alarme
German: Sirene
Greek: σειρήνα
Italian: sirena
Japanese: サイレン
Korean: 경적
Norwegian: sirene
Polish: syrena sygnał
European Portuguese: sirene
Romanian: sirenă
Russian: сирена
Latin American Spanish: sirena
Swedish: siren
Thai: เสียงสัญญาณเตือนภัย
Turkish: siren
Ukrainian: сирена
Vietnamese: còi báo động
All related terms of 'siren'
shark siren
a siren sounded to warn swimmers of the presence of sharks
siren call
the appeal that something has although it is harmful or dangerous
siren song
a dangerously attractive, esp. seductive , proposal or offer
air-raid siren
a device that sounds an alarm to warn people when an air raid is expected
siren call/siren song
A siren call or siren song is the appeal that something has although it is harmful or dangerous .
mud eel
a slime-coated, eel-like siren salamander ( Siren lacertina ) with no hind legs, two short front legs, internal lungs , and external gills : it lives in swamps , ditches , and ponds , in the SE U.S.
Chinese translation of 'siren'
siren
(ˈsaɪərn)
n(c)
警报(報)器 (jǐngbàoqì) (个(個), gè)
All related terms of 'siren'
intimate
( very close : friend, relationship ) 亲(親)密的 qīnmì de
personal
( individual : telephone number, bodyguard ) 私人的 sīrén de (: opinion, habits ) 个(個)人的 gèrén de (: care, contact, appearance, appeal ) 亲(親)自的 qīnzì de
private
( not public : property, land, plane ) 私人的 sīrén de (: performance, ceremony ) 非公开(開)的 fēigōngkāi de
PA
personal assistant 私人助理 sīrén zhùlǐ
personal assistant
私人秘(祕)书(書) sīrén mìshū [ 名 míng ]
personal belongings or property
私人物品 sīrén wùpǐn
coach
( Brit ) 长(長)途汽车(車) chángtú qìchē [ 辆(輛) liàng ] [ 美 = bus ]