clarions

Noun

clarion (plural clarions)

1. (historical, poetic) A medieval brass instrument chiefly used as a battle signal; related to the trumpet, it had a narrow, straight pipe and a high-pitched, piercing sound.
   • The clarion’s call to action has been heard.
2. (broadly, poetic) The sound of a clarion (sense 1), or any sound resembling the loud, high-pitched note of a clarion.
   • Others [i.e., other birds] on ground / Walk'd firm; the creſted Cock whoſe clarion ſounds / The ſilent hours, and th' other whoſe gay Traine / Adorns him, colour'd with the Florid hue / Of Rainbows and Starrie Eyes.1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
3. (broadly) An organ stop consisting of pipes with reeds giving a high-pitched note like that of a clarion (sense 1).
4. (broadly) The middle register of the clarinet.
5. A charge thought to represent a type of wind instrument, a keyboard instrument like a spinet, or perhaps a rest used by a knight to support a lance during jousting.

   Synonyms:

   clarichord, rest, sufflue

See all 15 meanings of clarion