ARM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does arm mean? 

• ARM (noun)
  The noun ARM has 6 senses:

1. 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

2. any projection that is thought to resemble a human arm

3. any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting

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

5. a division of some larger or more complex organization

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

  Familiarity information: ARM used as a noun is common.

• ARM (verb)
  The verb ARM has 2 senses:

1. prepare oneself for a military confrontation

2. supply with arms

  Familiarity information: ARM used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ARM (noun)

Sense 1

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)

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

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)

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 2

Meaning:

Any projection that is thought to resemble a human arm

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

arm; branch; limb

Context example:

a branch of the sewer

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

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

Sense 3

Meaning:

Any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

arm; weapon; weapon system

Context example:

he was licensed to carry a weapon

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)

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

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)

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 4

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 5

Meaning:

A division of some larger or more complex organization

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

arm; branch; subdivision

Context example:

the Germanic branch of Indo-European languages

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)

Sense 6

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

arm; sleeve

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)

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

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

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)

• ARM (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they arm    ... he / she / it arms   
Past simple: armed   
Past participle: armed   
-ing form: arming   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Prepare oneself for a military confrontation

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

arm; build up; fortify; gird

Context example:

troops are building up on the Iraqi border

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

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

The U.S. armed the freedom fighters in Afghanistan

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)

 Context examples 

I pinched my arms and sides to awake myself, hoping I might be in a dream.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

You also may have made volunteering for a charity a main focus this year, and if so, one charity will surely welcome you with open arms.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

He had never offered anybody his arm in his life.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms, and looked at the sky too.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Located behind its head and opposite of its arm, this large bulbous structure is home to all of its organs.

(Octopuses can dream, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

NGC 1055 appears to lack the whirling arms characteristic of a spiral, as it is seen edge-on.

(A Galaxy on the Edge, ESO)

Naruto is a Japanese cartoon ninja character who runs with his arms behind his back.

(Millions don't turn up to 'storm' US airbase for extraterrestrial evidence, Wikinews)

To do this, they took color meter readings from the inner arms of 2,092 African participants to determine the levels of melanin in their skin.

(New regions of the human genome linked to skin color variation in some African populations, National Institutes of Health)

Then he took him out, and sat down by the fire and laid him on his breast and rubbed his arms that the blood might circulate again.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

The material could enable a range of new applications from gripper arms for delicate or heavy objects to antennas that change frequencies on the fly.

(Tiny magnetic particles enable new material to bend, twist and grab, National Science Foundation)