arms
- 01 A1 Beginner
the plural of the body part that goes from your shoulder to your hand.
the plural form of the upper limb of the human body.
Simple“He carried the heavy box in his arms while walking up the stairs.”
In context“She held the infant securely in her arms, rocking gently to soothe the child before the long flight began.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
weapons, such as guns or bombs, used for fighting or defense.
weaponry or instruments of war; often used in the context of military equipment or the right to own weapons.
Simple“The police found several illegal arms hidden in the back of the truck.”
In context“The international treaty was designed to limit the trade of small arms in regions currently experiencing civil unrest.”
UsageAlways plural in this sense.
- 03 C1 Advanced
a special design or picture that represents a family, city, or country.
distinctive heraldic bearings or emblems, such as a coat of arms, used by a family, institution, or state.
Simple“The university's coat of arms is printed on every graduation certificate.”
In context“The knight's shield bore the ancestral arms of his house, featuring a golden lion against a deep crimson background.”
UsageUsually appears in the phrase 'coat of arms'.
Usage arms race
“The newborn baby sat in the mom’s arms covered in little white bumps, a heat rash.”
“Injuries to the arms and legs were the most common, followed by head or facial injuries.”
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.
See arm.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.