Arm | Mean of arm in English Dictionary

/ˈɑɚm/

• Noun
• either one of the two long body parts that join the top of your body at the shoulder and that end at the hand or wrist
1. He has big, strong, muscular arms.
2. She broke her left arm. = Her left arm was/got broken.
3. He hurt his throwing/pitching arm [=the arm that he uses to throw/pitch a ball] in the last game.
4. She put/threw her arms around him. [=she hugged him]
5. She had a newspaper tucked under her arm.
6. He was carrying a bag of groceries in each arm.
7. He gave/offered his arm to her, and she took it. [=she held onto his arm]
8. She grabbed my arm. = She grabbed me by the arm.
9. He was standing there with his arms crossed/folded.
10. She stood with her arms outstretched. = She stood with her arms wide open.
11. She sat cradling the baby in her arms.
12. I've known her since she was a babe in arms. [=a baby who is too young to walk and has to be held]
13. He took her in/into his arms [=he embraced her] and kissed her passionately.
14. She found him in the arms of [=being embraced by] another woman.
15. He showed up at the party with a young woman on his arm. [=holding his arm]
16. He took her (by the) arm and they walked in to dinner.
• the part of a piece of clothing (such as a shirt or coat) that covers the arm
1. The jacket's arms are too tight. = The jacket is too tight in the arms.
• a part of a piece of furniture (such as a chair or couch) that gives support for a person's arm
1. the arm of the sofa

• a long thin piece that is connected to the main part of a machine, structure, etc., and that looks or moves like a human arm
1. the robot's mechanical arm
2. the machine's robotic arm
3. the arm of the record player
• a long and narrow area of water
1. an arm of the sea
• the part of a group or organization that performs a specific job or function
1. the organization's political arm [=the part of the organization that deals with politics]
2. It is the most powerful arm [=division] of the organization.
3. the military arm of the government
• a person's ability to throw a ball
1. Their pitcher's got a great arm.
2. a strong/weak arm
• a very large amount of money
1. It's a reliable car, and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. [=it isn't too expensive]
• next to each other with the arm of one person linked at the elbow to the arm of another person
1. an elderly couple walking down the street arm in arm
• from a distance that is the length of a person's arm
1. It's best to view the painting at arm's length.
2. holding a candle at arm's length
3. Since going to college, he has kept his old friends at arm's length.
4. They no longer trust her and are keeping her at arm's length.
5. The government has kept the group at arm's length until now.
• the ability of the police to find and catch people who commit crimes
1. The long arm of the law finally caught up with him [=the police caught him] 30 years later.
2. So far, she's been able to escape the long arm of the law.
• in a very kind and friendly way
1. We were welcomed back with open arms.
• a gun or other weapon that is used especially in a war
1. The government was selling arms to other countries.
2. the right of individuals to carry/bear arms [=firearms]
3. an arms agreement/deal
4. arms shipments
5. The United Nations lifted the arms embargo against the country.
• to put down your weapons and stop fighting
1. The soldiers refused to lay down their arms.
• to pick up weapons and become ready to fight
1. They took up arms to defend their city.
2. The rebels are taking up arms against their own government.
• serving in the military
1. the number of Americans now under arms around the world
• angry and ready to fight or argue
1. Voters were up in arms over the new taxes.
• Verb
• to provide (yourself, a group, a country, etc.) with weapons especially in order to fight a war or battle
1. They armed the men for battle.
2. The group of fighters was armed by a foreign government.
3. The two countries have been arming themselves for years, but now they have agreed to disarm.
4. The government has armed its military with the best weapons.
5. She armed herself with a kitchen knife.
6. arming for battle
7. countries that are continuing to arm [=to produce and gather weapons]
• to provide (someone) with a way of fighting, competing, or succeeding
1. We armed ourselves with the tools we would need to survive in the forest.
2. They arm people with accurate information.
3. arming women with the right to vote
• to make (a bomb, weapon, etc.) ready for use
1. Once the bomb has been armed, we have five minutes to escape.