arm

[ ahrm ]

/ ɑrm /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR arm ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Usually arms. weapons, especially firearms.

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)

to enter into a state of hostility or of readiness for war.

verb (used with object)

to equip with weapons: to arm the troops.

to activate (a fuze) so that it will explode the charge at the time desired.

to cover protectively.

to provide with whatever will add strength, force, or security; support; fortify: He was armed with statistics and facts.

to equip or prepare for any specific purpose or effective use: to arm a security system; to arm oneself with persuasive arguments.

to prepare for action; make fit; ready.

RELATED WORDS

hostile, provoked

Nearby words

arlington heights, arlington national cemetery, arliss, arliss, george, arlon, arm, arm and a leg, arm candy, arm in arm, arm's-length, arm-twist

Idioms

bear arms,

to carry weapons.
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.

take up arms, to prepare for war; go to war: to take up arms against the enemy.

under arms, ready for battle; trained and equipped: The number of men under arms is no longer the decisive factor in warfare.

up in arms, ready to take action; indignant; outraged: There is no need to get up in arms over such a trifle.

Origin of arm

1200–50 for v.; 1300–50 for noun; (v.) Middle English armen < Anglo-French, Old French armer < Latin armāre to arm, verbal derivative of arma (plural) tools, weapons (not akin to arm¹); (noun) Middle English armes (plural) ≪ Latin arma, as above

SYNONYMS FOR arm

8 outfit.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR arm ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR arm

5 deactivate, disarm.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR arm ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsarm·less, adjective

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

British Dictionary definitions for up in arms (1 of 3)

arm

/ (ɑːm) /

noun

(in man) either of the upper limbs from the shoulder to the wristRelated adjective: brachial

the part of either of the upper limbs from the elbow to the wrist; forearm

the corresponding limb of any other vertebrate
an armlike appendage of some invertebrates

an object that covers or supports the human arm, esp the sleeve of a garment or the side of a chair, sofa, etc

anything considered to resemble an arm in appearance, position, or function, esp something that branches out from a central support or larger massan arm of the sea; the arm of a record player

an administrative subdivision of an organizationan arm of the government

power; authoritythe arm of the law

any of the specialist combatant sections of a military force, such as cavalry, infantry, etc

nautical See yardarm

sport, esp ball games ability to throw or pitchhe has a good arm

an arm and a leg informal a large amount of money

arm in arm with arms linked

at arm's length at a distance; away from familiarity with or subjection to another

give one's right arm informal to be prepared to make any sacrifice

in the arms of Morpheus sleeping

with open arms with great warmth and hospitalityto welcome someone with open arms

verb

(tr) archaic to walk arm in arm with

Derived Formsarmless, adjectivearmlike, adjective

Word Origin for arm

Old English; related to German Arm, Old Norse armr arm, Latin armus shoulder, Greek harmos joint

British Dictionary definitions for up in arms (2 of 3)

arm

/ (ɑːm) /

verb (tr)

to equip with weapons as a preparation for war

to provide (a person or thing) with something that strengthens, protects, or increases efficiencyhe armed himself against the cold

to activate (a fuse) so that it will explode at the required time
to prepare (an explosive device) for use by introducing a fuse or detonator

nautical to pack arming into (a sounding lead)

noun

(usually plural) a weapon, esp a firearm

Word Origin for arm

C14: (n) back formation from arms, from Old French armes, from Latin arma; (vb) from Old French armer to equip with arms, from Latin armāre, from arma arms, equipment

British Dictionary definitions for up in arms (3 of 3)

ARM

abbreviation for

adjustable rate mortgage

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 up in arms (1 of 3)

arm

n.1

"upper limb," Old English earm "arm," from Proto-Germanic *armaz (cf. Old Saxon, Danish, Swedish, Middle Dutch, German arm, Old Norse armr, Old Frisian erm), from PIE root *ar- "fit, join" (cf. Sanskrit irmah "arm," Armenian armukn "elbow," Old Prussian irmo "arm," Greek arthron "a joint," Latin armus "shoulder"). Arm of the sea was in Old English. Arm-twister "powerful persuader" is from 1938. Arm-wrestling is from 1899.

They wenten arme in arme yfere Into the gardyn [Chaucer]

Word Origin and History for up in arms (1 of 3)

arm

n.2

"weapon," c.1300, armes (plural) "weapons of a warrior," from Old French armes (plural), "arms, war, warfare," mid-13c., from Latin arma "weapons" (including armor), literally "tools, implements (of war)," from PIE root *ar- "fit, join" (see arm (n.1)). The notion seems to be "that which is fitted together." Meaning "heraldic insignia" (in coat of arms, etc.) is early 14c.; originally they were borne on shields of fully armed knights or barons.

Word Origin and History for up in arms (2 of 3)

arm

"to furnish with weapons," c.1200, from Old French armer or directly from Latin armare, from arma (see arm (n.2)). Related: Armed; arming.

Medicine definitions for up in arms

arm

[ ärm ]

n.

An upper limb of the human body, connecting the hand and wrist to the shoulder.

Idioms and Phrases with up in arms (1 of 2)

up in arms

Angry, rebellious, as in The town was up in arms over the state's plan to allow commercial flights at the air base. This idiom originally referred to an armed rebellion and was so used from the late 1500s. Its figurative use dates from about 1700.

Idioms and Phrases with up in arms (2 of 2)

arm

In addition to the idioms beginning with arm

arm and a leg
armed to the teeth
arm in arm

also see:

at arm's length
babe in arms
forewarned is forearmed
give one's eyeteeth (right arm)
long arm of the law
one-armed bandit
put the arm on
shot in the arm
take up arms
talk someone's arm off
twist someone's arm
up in arms
with one arm tied behind
with open arms

arm

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of arm

British Dictionary definitions for up in arms (1 of 3)

arm

noun

verb

Word Origin for arm

British Dictionary definitions for up in arms (2 of 3)

arm

verb (tr)

noun

Word Origin for arm

British Dictionary definitions for up in arms (3 of 3)

ARM

abbreviation for

Word Origin and History for up in arms (1 of 3)

arm

Word Origin and History for up in arms (1 of 3)

arm

Word Origin and History for up in arms (2 of 3)

arm

Medicine definitions for up in arms

arm

n.

Idioms and Phrases with up in arms (1 of 2)

up in arms

Idioms and Phrases with up in arms (2 of 2)

arm