Definition for arm - Oxford Dictionaries Online (World English)

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	arm1 (arm) Pronunciation: /ɑːm/ noun 1each of the two upper limbs of the human body from the shoulder to the hand: she held the baby in her arms a flexible limb of an invertebrate animal, e.g. an octopus. a sleeve of a garment. an ability to bowl, pitch, or throw a ball skilfully: he has a good arm used to refer to the holding of a person’s arm in support or companionship: as they walked he offered her his arm he arrived with a pretty girl on his arm used to refer to something powerful or protective: they have extended the arm of friendship to developing countries 2a thing resembling an arm in form or function, in particular: a side part of a chair or other seat on which a sitter can rest their arm: his right elbow was leaning on the arm of the chair a narrow strip of water or land projecting from a larger body: a lake which was really an arm of the sea 3a branch or division of a company or organization: the political arm of the separatist group each of the types of troops of which an army is composed, such as infantry or artillery. [also understood as a figurative use of arm²] 4 Mathematics each of the lines enclosing an angle. Phrases arm in arm (of two or more people) with arms linked: they walked arm in arm as long as one's (or someone's) arm informal very long: I have a list of vices as long as your arm at arm's length 1away from the body, with one’s arm fully extended: I held the telephone at arm’s length 2avoiding intimacy or close contact: he has long fought to keep the government at arm’s length from big business cost an arm and a leg informal be extremely expensive: the coat had cost him an arm and a leg give one's right arm informal used to convey how much one would like to have or do something: I’d give my right arm to go with them the long (or strong) arm of the law the far-reaching power of the law: the long arm of the law caught up with him put the arm on North American informal attempt to force or coerce (someone) to do something: she started putting the arm on them for donations under one's arm between one’s arm and one’s body: Meryl tucked the papers under her arm with open arms with great affection or enthusiasm: schools have welcomed such arrangements with open arms within (or beyond) arm's reach near (or not near) enough to reach by extending one’s arm: he came closer, almost within arm’s reach the bookshelf is within arm’s reach of* my computer* Derivatives armful noun (plural armfuls) armless adjective armload noun Origin: Old English arm, earm, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch arm and German Arm		Search results in the dictionary arm² ARM in adjustable-rate mortgage (abbreviation: ARM) arm candy float arm round-arm short-arm More results » More words in this category abdominal acinus brachial cortex cytoarchitecture epicanthic fingernail hyaline cartilage infundibulum left brain oropharynx osteo- phalanx sigmoid colon stapedial tentorium trapezius urogenital zonule zygomatic bone Nearby Words Arkansas Arkansas River Arkhangelsk arkose Arkwright, Sir Richard Arles Arlington Arlington Heights Arlon arm ¹ arm ² arm candy arm's-length arm-twisting arm-wrestling armada armadillo Armageddon Armagh