armful

[ ahrm-foo l ]

/ ˈɑrmˌfʊl /

noun, plural arm·fuls.

as much as a person can hold or carry in an arm or both arms.

Informal. a girl or woman with a well-rounded figure.

Informal. an obstreperous child; handful.

Nearby words

armenian massacres, armentières, armeria, armes parlantes, armet, armful, armguard, armhole, armidale, armiger, armigerous

Origin of armful

First recorded in 1570–80; arm¹ + -ful

Usage note

1. See -ful.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for armful

A newsboy came racing along the pavement, with an armful of sheets, wet from the press.
The Sins of Sverac Bablon|Sax Rohmer
This is a rose to pick by the armful, and grown in masses it lends an air of luxury to the simplest garden.
The Garden, You, and I|Mabel Osgood Wright
Jock stooped, gathered up an armful of miscellaneous undergarments and tossed them into an open drawer.
Personality Plus|Edna Ferber
Tom reluctantly gathered up an armful and went stamping down the garret stairs.
The Automobile Girls at Chicago|Laura Dent Crane

He came rushing back in a few minutes carrying an armful of towels for jail use.
Airship Andy|Frank V. Webster

British Dictionary definitions for armful

armful

/ (ˈɑːmfʊl) /

noun plural -fuls

the amount that can be held by one or both arms

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012