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arms

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈɑɹmz// UK //ˈɑːmz// arms General-service

n. weapons, especially those used by the military or police. You often hear this word in news reports about war or laws regarding guns.

n. weapons and ammunition; instruments of warfare or combat. Used primarily in plural form to refer to military equipment or the right to bear weapons.


SIMPLE

The soldiers laid down their arms after the peace treaty.

CONTEXTUAL

The international community is debating whether to supply defensive arms to the region to prevent further conflict.

COMPLEX

The treaty aims to limit the proliferation of conventional arms while establishing a framework for monitoring the movement of heavy artillery across borders.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English armes, from Old French armes, from Latin arma (“weapons”), from Proto-Indo-European h₂er-mo-, a suffixed form of h₂er- (“to fit together”), hence ultimately cognate with etymology 2.

Etymology 2

See arm.

Usage

Always used in the plural form when referring to weapons. Often appears in the phrase 'take up arms' or 'bear arms'.

Pitfall

The country bought many arm.The country bought many arms.In the sense of weapons, the word is always plural and cannot be used in the singular.

Idioms1 entry

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