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arms - 6 dictionary results
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arm

1  [ahrm]
Use arms in a Sentence
–noun
1. the upper limb of the human body, esp. the part extending from the shoulder to the wrist.
2. the upper limb from the shoulder to the elbow.
3. the forelimb of any vertebrate.
4. some part of an organism like or likened to an arm.
5. any armlike part or attachment, as the tone arm of a phonograph.
6. a covering for the arm, esp. a sleeve of a garment: the arm of a coat.
7. an administrative or operational branch of an organization: A special arm of the government will investigate.
8. Nautical. any of the curved or bent pieces of an anchor, terminating in the flukes.
9. an armrest.
10. an inlet or cove: an arm of the sea.
11. a combat branch of the military service, as the infantry, cavalry, or field artillery.
12. power; might; strength; authority: the long arm of the law.
13. Typography. either of the extensions to the right of the vertical line of a K or upward from the vertical stem of a Y.
—Idioms
14. an arm and a leg, a great deal of money: Our night on the town cost us an arm and a leg.
15. arm in arm, with arms linked together or intertwined: They walked along arm in arm.
16. at arm's length, not on familiar or friendly terms; at a distance: He's the kind of person you pity but want to keep at arm's length.
17. in the arms of Morpheus, asleep: After a strenuous day, he was soon in the arms of Morpheus.
18. on the arm, Slang. free of charge; gratis: an investigation of policemen who ate lunch on the arm.
19. put the arm on, Slang.
a. to solicit or borrow money from: She put the arm on me for a generous contribution.
b. to use force or violence on; use strong-arm tactics on: If they don't cooperate, put the arm on them.
20. twist someone's arm, to use force or coercion on someone.
21. with open arms, cordially; with warm hospitality: a country that receives immigrants with open arms.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE earm; c. Goth arms, ON armr, OFris erm, D, OS, OHG arm (G Arm) arm; L armus, Serbo-Croatian rȁme, rȁmo shoulder; akin to Skt īrmá, Avestan arəma-, OPruss irmo arm; not akin to L arma arm 2

Related forms:
armed, adjective
armlike, adjective

arm

2  [ahrm]
–noun
1. Usually, arms. weapons, esp. firearms.
2. arms, Heraldry. the escutcheon, with its divisions, charges, and tinctures, and the other components forming an achievement that symbolizes and is reserved for a person, family, or corporate body; armorial bearings; coat of arms.
–verb (used without object)
3. to enter into a state of hostility or of readiness for war.
–verb (used with object)
4. to equip with weapons: to arm the troops.
5. to activate (a fuze) so that it will explode the charge at the time desired.
6. to cover protectively.
7. to provide with whatever will add strength, force, or security; support; fortify: He was armed with statistics and facts.
8. to equip or prepare for any specific purpose or effective use: to arm a security system; to arm oneself with persuasive arguments.
9. to prepare for action; make fit; ready.
—Idioms
10. bear arms,
a. to carry weapons.
b. to serve as a member of the military or of contending forces: His religious convictions kept him from bearing arms, but he served as an ambulance driver with the Red Cross.
11. take up arms, to prepare for war; go to war: to take up arms against the enemy.
12. under arms, ready for battle; trained and equipped: The number of men under arms is no longer the decisive factor in warfare.
13. up in arms, ready to take action; indignant; outraged: There is no need to get up in arms over such a trifle.
Origin:
1200–50 for v.; 1300–50 for n.; (v.) ME armen < AF, OF armer < L armāre to arm, v. deriv. of arma (pl.) tools, weapons (not akin to arm 1 ); (n.) ME armes (pl.) ≪ L arma, as above

Related forms:
armless, adjective

Synonyms:
8. outfit.

Antonyms:
5. deactivate, disarm.

arm⋅rest

  [ahrm-rest]
–noun
a projecting, often padded support for the forearm, as at the side of a chair or sofa or between seats in a theater, car, or airplane.
Also called arm.

Origin:
1885–90; arm 1 + rest 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To arms
arm 1   (ärm)   
n.  
  1. An upper limb of the human body, connecting the hand and wrist to the shoulder.
  2. A part similar to a human arm, such as the forelimb of an animal or a long part projecting from a central support in a machine.
  3. Something, such as a sleeve on a garment or a support on a chair, that is designed to cover or support the human arm.
  4. A relatively narrow extension jutting out from a large mass: an arm of the sea. See Synonyms at branch.
  5. An administrative or functional branch, as of an organization.
  6. Power or authority: the long arm of the law.
  7. Sports The skill of throwing or pitching a ball well.

[Middle English, from Old English earm; see ar- in Indo-European roots.]
armed (ärmd) adj.
arm 2   (ärm)   
n.  
  1. A weapon, especially a firearm: troops bearing arms; ICBMs, bombs, and other nuclear arms.
  2. A branch of a military force: infantry, armor, and other combat arms.
  3. arms
    1. Warfare: a call to arms against the invaders.
    2. Military service: several million volunteers under arms; the profession of arms.
    3. Heraldry Bearings.
    4. Insignia, as of a state, an official, a family, or an organization.
  4. arms
    1. Heraldry Bearings.
    2. Insignia, as of a state, an official, a family, or an organization.
v.   armed, arm·ing, arms

v.   intr.
  1. To supply or equip oneself with weaponry.
  2. To prepare oneself for warfare or conflict.
v.   tr.
  1. To equip with weapons: armed themselves with loaded pistols; arm a missile with a warhead; arm a nation for war.
  2. To equip with what is needed for effective action: tax advisers who were armed with the latest forms.
  3. To provide with something that strengthens or protects: a space reentry vehicle that was armed with a ceramic shield.
  4. To prepare (a weapon) for use or operation, as by releasing a safety device.

[From Middle English armes, weapons, from Old French, pl. of arme, weapon, from Latin arma, weapons; see ar- in Indo-European roots. V., Middle English armen, from Old French armer, from Latin armāre, from arma.]
armed (ärmd) adj., arm'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Arms

Arms\, n. pl. [OE. armes, F. arme, pl. armes, fr. L. arma, pl., arms, orig. fittings, akin to armus shoulder, and E. arm. See Arm, n.]

1. Instruments or weapons of offense or defense.

He lays down his arms, but not his wiles. --Milton.

Three horses and three goodly suits of arms. --Tennyson.

2. The deeds or exploits of war; military service or science. "Arms and the man I sing." --Dryden.

3. (Law) Anything which a man takes in his hand in anger, to strike or assault another with; an aggressive weapon. --Cowell. Blackstone.

4. (Her.) The ensigns armorial of a family, consisting of figures and colors borne in shields, banners, etc., as marks of dignity and distinction, and descending from father to son.

5. (Falconry) The legs of a hawk from the thigh to the foot. --Halliwell.

Bred to arms, educated to the profession of a soldier.

In arms, armed for war; in a state of hostility.

Small arms, portable firearms known as muskets, rifles, carbines, pistols, etc.

A stand of arms, a complete set for one soldier, as a musket, bayonet, cartridge box and belt; frequently, the musket and bayonet alone.

To arms! a summons to war or battle.

Under arms, armed and equipped and in readiness for battle, or for a military parade.

Arm's end,

Arm's length,

Arm's reach. See under Arm.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : arms
Spanish: armas,
German: die Waffen,
Japanese: 武器
More Translations »
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