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arms

Pronunciation: /ɑːmz/
Translate arms | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of arms

noun

  • 1weapons; armaments:arms and ammunition [as modifier]:arms exports
  • 2distinctive emblems or devices originally borne on shields in battle and now forming the heraldic insignia of families, corporations, or countries.

Phrases

a call to arms

a call to defend or make ready for confrontation: it is understood as a call to arms to defend against a takeover

in arms

armed; prepared to fight.

lay down (one's) arms

see lay1.

take up arms

begin fighting: local people took up arms to fight a dam proposed by the government

under arms

equipped and ready for war or battle: the country had up to one million men under arms

up in arms

protesting vigorously about something:teachers are up in arms about new school tests

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French armes, from Latin arma

arms in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of arms in the US English dictionary

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