Link Centre Dictionary

arm

UK/ɑːm/ US/ɑɹm/ common slang uk
noun (6) verb (2)

noun

1.

a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb

2.

any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting

  • “he was licensed to carry a weapon”
Synonyms
3.

an administrative division of some larger or more complex organization

  • “a branch of Congress”
Synonyms
4.

any projection that is thought to resemble an arm

  • “the arm of the record player”
  • “an arm of the sea”
  • “a branch of the sewer”
Synonyms
5.

the part of an armchair or sofa that supports the elbow and forearm of a seated person

6.

the part of a garment that is attached at armhole and provides a cloth covering for the arm

Synonyms

verb

1.

prepare oneself for a military confrontation

  • “The U.S. is girding for a conflict in the Middle East”
  • “troops are building up on the Iraqui border”
Synonyms
Antonyms
2.

supply with arms

  • “The U.S. armed the freedom fighters in Afghanistan”

Origin

From Middle English arm, from Old English earm (Anglian arm), from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (“arm”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂(e)rmos (“a fitting, joint; arm, forequarter”), a suffixed form of *h₂er- (“to join, fit together”).

Phrases

  • an arm and a leg
  • arm ball
  • arm bone
  • arm candy
  • arm day
  • arm garter
  • arm guard
  • arm hole
  • arm out
  • arm the lead
  • arm to the teeth
  • arm up

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

Parts

Part of

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.