arm | Definition of arm in 15 languages with examples - infoAnew" /> arm" /> arm" /> arm definition" /> arm in a sentence" />

🤩 Discover new information from across the web

arm definition

Overview

This page has 96 definitions of arm with English translations in 15 languages. Arm is a symbol, noun, verb and adjective. Examples of how to use arm in a sentence are shown. Also define these 0 related words and terms: .

See also: Arm, ARM, Arms, ärm, Ärm, and Arm.

Translingual arm definition

Symbol

arm

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-2/B language code for Armenian.

English arm definition

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Middle English arm, from Old English earm, from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (arm), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂(e)rmos (a fitting, joint; arm, forequarter), a suffixed form of *h₂er- (to join, fit together).

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  1. The portion of the upper human appendage, from the shoulder to the wrist and sometimes including the hand.
    She stood with her right arm extended and her palm forward to indicate “Stop!”
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess[1]:
      When Timothy and Julia hurried up the staircase to the bedroom floor, where a considerable commotion was taking place, Tim took Barry Leach with him. He had him gripped firmly by the arm, since he felt it was not safe to let him loose, and he had no immediate idea what to do with him.
  2. (anatomy) The extended portion of the upper limb, from the shoulder to the elbow.
    The arm and forearm are parts of the upper limb in the human body.
  3. A limb, or locomotive or prehensile organ, of an invertebrate animal.
    the arms of an octopus
  4. The part of a piece of clothing that covers the arm.
    Synonym: sleeve
  5. A long, narrow, more or less rigid part of an object extending from the main part or centre of the object, such as the arm of an armchair, a crane, a pair of spectacles or a pair of compasses.
    The robot arm reached out and placed the part on the assembly line.
  6. (geography) A bay or inlet off a main body of water.
    Shelburne Bay is an arm of Lake Champlain.
  7. A branch of an organization.
    the cavalry arm of the military service
    • 2018 April 25, Ron Nixon, “Scandals and Investigations, but Few Arrests, for Air Marshals Program”, in The New York Times[3]:
      Congress has asked the Government Accountability Office, its investigative arm, to review the workplace complaints raised by air marshals, said Charles Young, a spokesman for the office.
  8. (figurative) Power; might; strength; support.
    the arm of the law
    the secular arm
  9. (baseball, slang) A pitcher
    The team needs to sign another arm in the offseason.
  10. (genetics) One of the two parts of a chromosome.
  11. A group of patients in a medical trial.
Derived terms
Translations

Verb

arm (third-person singular simple present arms, present participle arming, simple past and past participle armed)

  1. (obsolete) To take by the arm; to take up in one's arms.

Etymology 2

From Middle English arm (poor, wretched), from Old English earm (poor, miserable, pitiful, wretched), from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (poor), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁erm- (poor, ill).

Adjective

arm (comparative armer or more arm, superlative armest or most arm)

  1. (UK dialectal, chiefly Scotland) Poor; lacking in riches or wealth.
  2. (UK dialectal, chiefly Scotland) To be pitied; pitiful; wretched.
Derived terms

References

Etymology 3

Back-formation from arms (plural), 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 1.

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  1. (usually used in the plural) A weapon.
  2. (in the plural) Heraldic bearings or insignia.
    The Duke's arms were a sable gryphon rampant on an argent field.
  3. (in the plural, obsolete) War; hostilities; deeds or exploits of war.
Usage notes
  • Pubs and taverns often use this word in their names, as a reference to heraldic bearings, e.g. The Queen's Arms.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Verb

arm (third-person singular simple present arms, present participle arming, simple past and past participle armed)

  1. (transitive) To supply with armour or (later especially) weapons.
    The king armed his knights with swords and shields.
    • 2015, George R. R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons, Bantam, →ISBN, page 593:
      They were arming them with spears and shields, putting iron halfhelms on their heads, and arraying them along the inner wall, a rank of snowy sentinels. "Lord Winter has joined us with his levies," one of the sentries [said].
  2. (transitive, figurative) To supply with the equipment, knowledge, authority, or other tools needed for a particular task; to furnish with capability; to equip.
    • 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw [], Act I:
      thou getteſt no more of me.
      For I am ſure thy Office doth not arme thee with ſuch authoritie.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, [] (King James Version), London: [] Robert Barker, [], →OCLC, 1 Peter 4:1:
      arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
    • 1801(?), John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress ... to which is Added, the Life and Death of the Author, page 359:
      Many following him, and, in his journeyings, he visited many at their houses, and gave them consolation, arming them with steady resolves, to be patient in suffering and trust to God for their reward; []
    • 1806, William turner, An Abstract of the History of the Bible ... With questions for examination, etc, page 43:
      [God] directed them to choose out three hundred only, and, arming them with nothing but trumpets and lamps, to send them by night into the camp of the Midianites.
    • 1885, United States Congressional Serial Set, page 119:
      Q. In other words, you were commissioning men here in Cincinnati to attend the polls, arming them with authority to arrest citizens; men from outside of the city of Cincinnati to arrest citizens of the city of Cincinnati []
    • 2011, Meredith H. Lair, Armed with Abundance: Consumerism & Soldiering in the Vietnam War, Univ of North Carolina Press:
      , →ISBN, page 215:
      Picture taking soothed support troops' anxieties twice over, empowering them as they navigated a strange environment, and arming them with proof that they really had served in a war.
    • 2014, Susan Fawcett, Grassroots with Readings: The Writer's Workbook, Cengage Learning, →ISBN, page 466:
      [] and arming them with skills, work habits, and inner confidence that no one can ever take away.
  3. (transitive) To prepare (a tool, weapon, or system) for action; to activate.
    Remember to arm the alarm system before leaving for work.
  4. (intransitive, of a tool, weapon, or system) To become prepared for action; to activate.
    • 2021 March 10, Drachinifel, 14:43 from the start, in Guadalcanal Campaign - The Big Night Battle: Night 1 (IJN 3(?) : 2 USN)[4], archived from the original on 17 October 2022:
      Torpedoes were loosed, but the range was too short for them to actually arm, and they bounced harmlessly off the ship as it cut loose with its secondary and antiaircraft guns, smashing anything that it could see.
  5. (transitive) To cover or furnish with a plate, or with whatever will add strength, force, security, or efficiency.
    to arm the hit of a sword; to arm a hook in angling
  6. (intransitive) To take up weapons; to arm oneself.
  7. (transitive) To fit (a magnet) with an armature.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Anagrams

Afrikaans arm definition

Etymology

From Dutch arm.

Pronunciation

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  1. arm

Cimbrian arm definition

Etymology 1

From Middle High German arm, from Old High German arm, from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (arm). Cognate with German Arm, English arm.

Noun

arm m (plural èrme)

  1. (Sette Comuni) arm
    An langar arm rékhet béetor.A long arm can reach further.
Related terms

Etymology 2

From Middle High German arm, from Old High German arm, from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (poor, pitiful). Cognate with German arm, English arm.

Adjective

arm (comparative èrmor, superlative dar èrmorste)

  1. (Sette Comuni, Luserna) poor
    Bèar is arm hat nicht so borliran.He who is poor has nothing to lose.
Declension

This adjective has irregular declension; positive inflected forms also have umlaut.

Derived terms

References

  • “arm” in Martalar, Umberto Martello; Bellotto, Alfonso (1974) Dizionario della lingua Cimbra dei Sette Communi vicentini, 1st edition, Roana, Italy: Instituto di Cultura Cimbra A. Dal Pozzo
  • Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien

Danish arm definition

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Old Norse armr (arm), from Proto-Germanic *armaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er-mo- (arm).

Noun

arm c (singular definite armen, plural indefinite arme)

  1. (anatomy) arm
Inflection

Etymology 2

From Old Norse armr (arm, poor), from Proto-Germanic *armaz (poor).

Adjective

arm

  1. (dated) poor, not rich
    Synonym: fattig
  2. unfortunate, poor
    Synonym: stakkels
Inflection
Inflection of arm
Positive Comparative Superlative
Indefinte common singular arm 2
Indefinite neuter singular armt 2
Plural arme 2
Definite attributive1 arme
1) When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite, the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
2) The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Further reading

Dutch arm definition

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch arm, from Old Dutch arm, from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (arm), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂(e)rmos (a fitting, joint), a suffixed form of *h₂er- (to join, fit together). Cognate to Avestan 𐬀𐬭𐬨𐬀 (arma) and Old Persian [script needed] (arma).

Noun

arm m (plural armen, diminutive armpje n)

  1. arm
    Iemand kneep in mijn arm.
    Someone pinched my arm.
  2. branch (especially of streams and organisations)
Derived terms
Descendants
  • Afrikaans: arm
  • Javindo: arrem
  • Negerhollands: arm, erm

Etymology 2

From Middle Dutch arm, from Old Dutch arm, from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *h₂erH- (to be sparse).

Adjective

arm (comparative armer, superlative armst)

  1. poor (not rich)
    arme landenpoor countries
  2. poor (unfortunate)
    arme stakker…poor soul…
Inflection
Inflection of arm
uninflected arm
inflected arme
comparative armer
positive comparative superlative
predicative/adverbial arm armer het armst
het armste
indefinite m./f. sing. arme armere armste
n. sing. arm armer armste
plural arme armere armste
definite arme armere armste
partitive arms armers
Derived terms
Descendants
  • Afrikaans: arm
  • Berbice Creole Dutch: arum
  • Jersey Dutch: arm
  • Negerhollands: aerm
  • Petjo: arm

Anagrams

East Central German arm definition

Verb

arm

  1. (Erzgebirgisch, intransitive) to work
    Synonym: arbittn

Further reading

  • 2020 June 11, Hendrik Heidler, Hendrik Heidler's 400 Seiten: Echtes Erzgebirgisch: Wuu de Hasen Hoosn haaßn un de Hosen Huusn do sei mir drhamm: Das Original Wörterbuch: Ratgeber und Fundgrube der erzgebirgischen Mund- und Lebensart: Erzgebirgisch – Deutsch / Deutsch – Erzgebirgisch[5], 3. geänderte Auflage edition, Norderstedt: BoD – Books on Demand, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 17:

Estonian arm definition

Etymology 1

From Proto-Finnic *arpi; arm is an irregular variant of the root; the expected arb can be seen in dialects.

Noun

arm (genitive armi, partitive armi)

  1. scar
Declension

Etymology 2

From Proto-Finnic *armo. Most likely derived from armas. Cognate to Votic armo (grace, mercy).

Noun

arm (genitive armu, partitive armu)

  1. mercy
  2. pardon
  3. (poetic) love, affection
Declension

Faroese arm definition

Noun

arm

  1. indefinite accusative singular of armur

German arm definition

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *h₂erH- (to be sparse) or alternatively from Proto-Indo-European *h₃erbʰ-, whence English orphan.

Pronunciation

Adjective

arm (strong nominative masculine singular armer, comparative ärmer, superlative am ärmsten)

  1. poor (having little money)
  2. poor (to be pitied)
    arm dran seinto have bad luck
    lieber arm dran als Arm abbetter to have bad luck than to lose an arm [the play on words is lost in translation]
  3. low (having a small amount)

Declension

Antonyms

Derived terms

  • Armenkasse
  • Armenkrankenhaus
  • Arme Ritter
  • armes Würstchen

Related terms

Further reading

  • arm” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • arm” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
  • arm” in Duden online

Icelandic arm definition

Noun

arm

  1. indefinite accusative singular of armur

Irish arm definition

Etymology

From Old Irish arm n (armour, battle-equipment, panoply; weapon; army), from Latin arma.

Pronunciation

Noun

arm m (genitive singular airm, nominative plural airm)

  1. weapon; implement, tool
  2. (collective) arms
  3. army

Declension

Derived terms

  • arm diúractha (“missile”)
  • arm faobhair (“edged weapon”)
  • arm géar (“sharp weapon”)
  • arm tine (“firearm”)
  • armach (“armed”, a)
  • armadóir (“armourer”)
  • armáil (“armament; army”)
  • armáil (“arm”, v)
  • armbheart (“feat of arms”)
  • armchúirt (“court martial”)
  • armghéag (“arm, branch of service”)
  • armlann (“armoury, magazine”)
  • armlón m (“ammunition”)
  • armrua (“fierce in arms”, a)
  • armshlua m (“armed host”)
  • giolla airm (“armour-bearer”)
  • seirbhís airm f (“army service”)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical Eclipsis with h-prothesis with t-prothesis
arm n-arm harm not applicable
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

Jersey Dutch arm definition

Alternative forms

  • ārm

Etymology

From Dutch arm. Cognates include Afrikaans arm.

Pronunciation

Adjective

arm

  1. poor
    • 1912, Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsche taal— en letterkunde, volumes 31-32, page 309:
      Hāi waz nît tevrêde täus en dârkîs tû râkni arm. [] |He was not content at home and therefore he became poor.

Livonian arm definition

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *armo. Akin to Finnish armo.

Noun

arm

  1. peace
  2. love

Manx arm definition

Etymology

From Old Irish arm n (armour, battle-equipment, panoply; weapon; army), from Latin arma.

Noun

arm m (genitive singular arm, plural armyn)

  1. arm, weapon, armament

Verb

arm (verbal noun armal, past participle garmal)

  1. arm

References

Middle Dutch arm definition

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Old Dutch arm, from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz.

Noun

arm m

  1. arm
Inflection
Alternative forms
Descendants
  • Dutch: arm
    • Afrikaans: arm
    • Javindo: arrem
    • Negerhollands: arm, erm
  • Limburgish: erm
Further reading

Etymology 2

From Old Dutch arm, from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz.

Adjective

arm

  1. poor, having few possessions
  2. unfortunate, pitiable
Inflection
Adjective
Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural
Nominative Indefinite arm arme arm arme
Definite arme arme
Accusative Indefinite armen arme arm arme
Definite arme
Genitive arms armer arms armer
Dative armen armer armen armen
Alternative forms
Descendants
  • Dutch: arm
    • Afrikaans: arm
    • Berbice Creole Dutch: arum
    • Jersey Dutch: arm
    • Negerhollands: aerm
    • Petjo: arm
  • Limburgish: erm
Further reading

Middle English arm definition

Etymology 1

From Old English earm (arm), from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (arm), from Proto-Indo-European *arəm- (arm).

Alternative forms

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  1. arm
Descendants

References

Etymology 2

From Old English earm (poor, wretched), from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (poor), from Proto-Indo-European *erm- (poor, ill).

Adjective

arm

  1. poor
  2. miserable, wretched
Descendants

References

Norwegian Bokmål arm definition

Etymology

From Old Norse armr.

Adjective

arm (neuter singular armt, definite singular and plural arme)

  1. poor

Noun

arm m (definite singular armen, indefinite plural armer, definite plural armene)

  1. (anatomy) an arm

Derived terms

References

Norwegian Nynorsk arm definition

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Old Norse armr m, from Proto-Germanic *armaz m. Akin to English arm.

Noun

arm m (definite singular armen, indefinite plural armar, definite plural armane)

  1. (anatomy) an arm
Derived terms

Etymology 2

From Old Norse armr, from Proto-Germanic *armaz.

Adjective

arm (neuter armt, definite singular and plural arme, comparative armare, indefinite superlative armast, definite superlative armaste)

  1. poor, pitiful (to be pitied)
Derived terms

References

Anagrams

Old Dutch arm definition

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz.

Noun

arm m

  1. arm
Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants
  • Middle Dutch: arm
    • Dutch: arm
      • Afrikaans: arm
      • Javindo: arrem
      • Negerhollands: arm, erm
    • Limburgish: erm
Further reading
  • arm (I)”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz.

Adjective

arm

  1. poor
Inflection

This adjective needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms
Descendants
  • Middle Dutch: arm
    • Dutch: arm
      • Afrikaans: arm
      • Berbice Creole Dutch: arum
      • Jersey Dutch: arm
      • Negerhollands: aerm
      • Petjo: arm
    • Limburgish: erm
Further reading
  • arm (II)”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old English arm definition

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (arm), whence also Old High German arm, Old Norse armr.

Pronunciation

Noun

arm m

  1. Alternative form of earm

Declension

Old High German arm definition

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ermos, *h₂ŕ̥mos, whence also Old English arm, Old Norse armr.

Noun

arm m

  1. (anatomy) arm
Declension
Derived terms
Descendants

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz, whence also Old English earm, Old Norse armr.

Adjective

arm

  1. poor, miserable
Declension
Derived terms
Descendants

References

  • Joseph Wright, An Old High German Primer

Old Saxon arm definition

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz, whence also Old English earm, Old Norse armr.

Noun

arm m

  1. arm
Declension


Descendants
  • Middle Low German: arm
    • Low German:
      • German Low German:
        Hamburgisch: Arm
        Westphalian:
        Ravensbergisch: Ārm
        Lippisch: Arm
        Sauerländisch: Ārm, Ārem, Oarm
        Westmünsterländisch: Arm
      • Plautdietsch: Oam, Oarm

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz, whence also Old English earm, Old Norse armr.

Adjective

arm (comparative armoro, superlative armost)

  1. miserable, poor
Declension


Descendants
  • Low German: arm (also Lippisch)

Romanian arm definition

Etymology

From Latin armus, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- (to join).

Noun

arm n (plural armuri)

  1. (chiefly Oltenia) an animal's haunch, or a thigh on a person
    Synonyms: coapsă, șold

Related terms

See also

Scots arm definition

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Middle English arm, from Old English earm (arm), from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (arm), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er-mo- (arm).

Alternative forms

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  1. arm
  2. arm of the sea
  3. bar, beam

Etymology 2

From Middle English arm (poor), from Old English earm (poor), from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (poor), from Proto-Indo-European *erm- (poor, ill).

Adjective

arm (comparative mair arm, superlative maist arm)

  1. poor; wretched
  2. weak; thin; sickly

Verb

arm (third-person singular simple present arms, present participle armin, simple past armt, past participle armt)

  1. (intransitive) to crawl about miserably.

Etymology 3

From Middle English armen (to arm), from Old French armer (to arm), from Latin armō (to arm). More at arm.

Verb

arm (third-person singular simple present arms, present participle armin, simple past armt, past participle armt)

  1. to arm, outfit with weapons or armour

Etymology 4

From Old Norse armr (wing of a body).

Alternative forms

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  1. (Shetland) the tail end of something, especially of fishing line

Scottish Gaelic arm definition

Etymology

From Old Irish arm n (armour, battle-equipment, panoply; weapon; army), from Latin arma.

Pronunciation

Noun

arm m (genitive singular airm, plural airm)

  1. army
    Synonym: armailt
  2. arm, weapon

Usage notes

  • Arm is usually used to refer to the entire fighting force of a nation etc, while armailt usually refers to the an "army" involved in a particular battle etc:
    Arm Bhreatainn anns a' Chogadh MhòrBritish Army in the First World War (the armed forces as a whole)
    armailt Bhreatannach ann an AfragaBritish Army in Africa

Derived terms

Related terms

Mutation

Scottish Gaelic mutation
Radical Eclipsis with h-prothesis with t-prothesis
arm n-arm h-arm t-arm
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

  • Edward Dwelly (1911), “arm”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
  • G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “arm”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Swedish arm definition

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Old Norse armr (arm), from Proto-Germanic *armaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ermos, *h₂ŕ̥mos.

Noun

arm c

  1. (anatomy) arm; the body part
  2. arm; something extending from a body
Declension
Declension of arm 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative arm armen armar armarna
Genitive arms armens armars armarnas
Derived terms

See also

Etymology 2

From Old Norse armr (poor), from Proto-Germanic *armaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ormos.

Adjective

arm (comparative armare, superlative armast)

  1. (dated) poor; to be pitied
    Synonym: stackars
  2. (dated) poor; with no possessions or money
    Synonym: fattig
Declension
Inflection of arm
Indefinite Positive Comparative Superlative2
Common singular arm armare armast
Neuter singular armt armare armast
Plural arma armare armast
Masculine plural3 arme armare armast
Definite Positive Comparative Superlative
Masculine singular1 arme armare armaste
All arma armare armaste
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.
2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
3) Dated or archaic
Derived terms

Anagrams

Yimas arm definition

Noun

arm

  1. water

References

  • The Papuan Languages of New Guinea (1986, →ISBN) (as arɨm)
  • William A. Foley, The Yimas Language of New Guinea (1991, →ISBN), page 296:
    arm tark kantk-rm ima-na-tɨ-n
    water coldness with-water water S-DEF-becomes-PRES
    'The water is getting cold.'