Library / English Dictionary

ARM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("arm" is a kind of...):

armrest (a support for the arm)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "arm"):

writing arm (an arm of a tablet-armed chair; widened to provide a writing surface)

Holonyms ("arm" is a part of...):

armchair (chair with a support on each side for arms)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any projection that is thought to resemble a human arm

Example:

a branch of the sewer

Synonyms:

arm; branch; limb

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("arm" is a kind of...):

projection (any structure that branches out from a central support)

Sense 3

Meaning:

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

Synonyms:

arm; sleeve

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("arm" is a kind of...):

cloth covering (a covering made of cloth)

Meronyms (parts of "arm"):

elbow (the part of a sleeve that covers the elbow joint)

cuff; turnup (the lap consisting of a turned-back hem encircling the end of the sleeve or leg)

wristband (band consisting of a part of a sleeve that covers the wrist)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "arm"):

dolman sleeve (a sleeve with a large armhole and tight cuff)

long sleeve (a sleeve extending from shoulder to wrist)

raglan sleeve (a sleeve that extends in one piece to the neckline of a coat or sweater with seams from the armhole to the neck)

shirtsleeve (the sleeve of a shirt)

short sleeve (a sleeve extending from the shoulder to the elbow)

Holonyms ("arm" is a part of...):

garment (an article of clothing)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting

Example:

he was licensed to carry a weapon

Synonyms:

arm; weapon; weapon system

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("arm" is a kind of...):

instrument (a device that requires skill for proper use)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "arm"):

missile; projectile (a weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a targets but is not self-propelled)

slasher (a weapon (a sword or dagger) used for slashing)

sling (a simple weapon consisting of a looped strap in which a projectile is whirled and then released)

lance; shaft; spear (a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon)

stun baton; stun gun (a weapon designed to disable a victim temporarily by delivering a nonlethal high-voltage electric shock)

blade; brand; steel; sword (a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard)

hatchet; tomahawk (weapon consisting of a fighting ax; used by North American Indians)

W.M.D.; weapon of mass destruction; WMD (a weapon that kills or injures civilian as well as military personnel (nuclear and chemical and biological weapons))

Greek fire (a mixture used by Byzantine Greeks that was often shot at adversaries; catches fire when wetted)

bow (a weapon for shooting arrows, composed of a curved piece of resilient wood with a taut cord to propel the arrow)

bow and arrow (a weapon consisting of arrows and the bow to shoot them)

brass knuckles; brass knucks; knuckle duster; knuckles; knucks ((used in the plural) a small metal weapon; worn over the knuckles on the back of the hand)

fire ship (a weapon consisting of a ship carrying explosives that is set adrift to destroy enemy ships)

flamethrower (a weapon that squirts ignited fuel for several yards)

gun (a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel))

knife (a weapon with a handle and blade with a sharp point)

light arm (a rifle or pistol)

missile (a rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosives; may be ballistic or directed by remote control)

pike (medieval weapon consisting of a spearhead attached to a long pole or pikestaff; superseded by the bayonet)

Holonyms ("arm" is a part of...):

arms; implements of war; munition; weaponry; weapons system (weapons considered collectively)

Derivation:

arm (prepare oneself for a military confrontation)

arm (supply with arms)

Sense 5

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("arm" is a kind of...):

limb (one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper)

Meronyms (parts of "arm"):

humerus (bone extending from the shoulder to the elbow)

arm bone (a bone in the arm)

articulatio radiocarpea; carpus; radiocarpal joint; wrist; wrist joint (a joint between the distal end of the radius and the proximal row of carpal bones)

articulatio cubiti; cubital joint; cubitus; elbow; elbow joint; human elbow (hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped)

musculus triceps brachii; triceps brachii (the skeletal muscle having three origins that extends the forearm when it contracts)

biceps brachii; biceps humeri; musculus biceps brachii (a muscle that flexes and supinates the forearm)

cubital nerve; nervus ulnaris; ulnar nerve (a nerve running along the inner side of the arm and passing near the elbow; supplies intrinsic muscles of the hand and the skin of the medial side of the hand)

hand; manus; mitt; paw (the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb)

forearm (the part of the superior limb between the elbow and the wrist)

cephalic vein; vena cephalica (a large vein of the arm that empties into the axillary vein)

arteria brachialis; brachial artery (the main artery of the upper arm; a continuation of the axillary artery; bifurcates into the radial and ulnar arteries at the elbow)

Holonyms ("arm" is a part of...):

homo; human; human being; man (any living or extinct member of the family Hominidae characterized by superior intelligence, articulate speech, and erect carriage)

body; organic structure (the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being))

Derivation:

armlet (a band worn around the arm for decoration)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A division of some larger or more complex organization

Example:

the Germanic branch of Indo-European languages

Synonyms:

arm; branch; subdivision

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("arm" is a kind of...):

division (an administrative unit in government or business)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "arm"):

local post office; post office (a local branch where postal services are available)

executive branch; Executive Office of the President (the branch of the United States government that is responsible for carrying out the laws)

legislative branch (the branch of the United States government that has the power of legislating)

judicial branch (the branch of the United States government responsible for the administration of justice)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Prepare oneself for a military confrontation

Example:

troops are building up on the Iraqi border

Synonyms:

arm; build up; fortify; gird

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "arm"):

re-arm; rearm (arm anew)

forearm (arm in advance of a confrontation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Antonym:

disarm (remove offensive capability from)

Derivation:

arm (any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting)

armament (the act of equiping with weapons in preparation for war)

armor (a military unit consisting of armored fighting vehicles)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Supply with arms

Example:

The U.S. armed the freedom fighters in Afghanistan

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "arm" is one way to...):

furnish; provide; render; supply (give something useful or necessary to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "arm"):

munition (supply with weapons)

rearm (arm again)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

arm (any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting)

armament (weaponry used by military or naval force)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Then, in a robotic first, the spacecraft will reach out its mechanical arm and take a sample from the asteroid.

(Evening Launch Catapults OSIRIS-REx Toward Asteroid Encounter, NASA)

The ghostly galaxy doesn't have a noticeable central region, or even spiral arms and a disk, typical features of a spiral galaxy.

(Dark Matter Goes Missing in Oddball Galaxy, NASA)

Monitors placed on the skin near major arteries in the arm, neck and groin can detect this condition, which indicates increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

(Too Much Salt? Unhealthy Blood Vessels Changes, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

A distinctive characteristic was that the suckers were in one, rather than two, series on each arm.

(Deep Discoverer Discovers a Very Deep, Ghostlike Octopod, NOAA)

Then infection leads to the destruction of skin and large, open ulcers on arms or legs.

(New answer to MRSA, other 'superbug' infections: clay minerals?, NSF)

The researchers found soft tissue around the dinosaur's flanks and across its arms, showing it had folds of leathery skin that would have resembled wings.

(Second Bat-Like Dinosaur Discovered in China, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The thought had hardly flashed through my mind before he was at the door, pushing his way past her; but she threw her arms round him and tried to hold him back.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I gripped him by the arms.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And from Sitka, Old Kinoos, who was Young Kinoos in those days, fled away with me, a babe in his arms, along the islands in the midst of the sea.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

I undid his collar, poured the cold water over his face, and raised and sank his arms until he drew a long, natural breath.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)