arms race
noun
competition between countries to achieve superiority in quantity and quality of military arms.
Nearby words
armpit, armrest, arms, arms and the man, arms control, arms race, arms, coat of, arms-length, armscye, armstand dive, armstrong
Origin of arms race
First recorded in 1935–40
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for arms race
arms race
noun
the continuing competitive attempt by two or more nations each to have available to it more and more powerful weapons than the other(s)
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
Word Origin and History for arms race
arms race
1930, in reference to naval build-ups, from arms (see arm (n.2)) + race (n.1). First used in British English.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper