long arm
Americannoun
noun
-
power, esp far-reaching power
the long arm of the law
-
to reach out for something, as from a sitting position
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But even here, the long arm of the crisis is visible, with the TV reception periodically freezing, triggering loud groans from supporters clad in the yellow Brazilian jerseys of stars Vinicius Junior, Neymar and others.
From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026
But it remains to be seen whether the long arm of jam law will change the perception of marmalade in the British imagination.
From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2026
The nation’s multilayered historical background has been variously stamped by a basic Arabic heritage, ineradicable remnants of protracted Ottoman Turkish rule and the long arm of the British colonial empire.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2025
During the 1950s and ’60s, the long arm of AM radio brought both into her home.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 22, 2023
He looped a long arm around my waist and scooped me into his arms.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.