Meaning of arm In English

• 0 either of the two long parts of the upper body that are attached to the shoulders and have the hands at the end:

  • My arms ache from carrying this bag.

  • She put/threw her arms round me and gave me a hug.

  • He took/held her in his arms (= held her closely).

  • Bill arrived at the party with his new girlfriend on his arm (= her hand resting on his arm).

  • the arm of a jacket

  • the arm of a chair

  • We walked arm in arm along the river bank.

• 1 weapons and equipment used to kill and injure people:

  • They have been charged with supplying arms to the guerrillas.

  • An arms cache was discovered in South Wales.

  • The minister has called on the terrorists to lay down their arms (= stop fighting).

  • They are willing to take up arms (= prepare to fight) (against the government) if they have to.

• 2 An arm of land or water is a long, thin part of it that is joined to a larger area.

• 3 An arm of an organization is a part of it that is responsible for a particular activity or place:

  • The British company is one arm of a large multinational.

• 4 to provide yourself or others with a weapon or weapons:

  • Nobody knows who is arming the terrorists.

  • I armed myself with a baseball bat and went to investigate the noise.

  • They are currently arming for war.

  • She armed herself for the interview by finding out all she could about the company in advance.

  • I went to the meeting armed with the relevant facts and figures.

• 5 either of the two long parts of the upper body that are joined to the shoulders and have hands at the end:

  • Her arm was bandaged from elbow to wrist.

  • He held his young son in his arms (= closely).

  • the arm of a jacket/chair

  • the company's investment banking arm

• 6 to provide yourself or others with a weapon or weapons:

  • He armed himself with a baseball bat before going outside.

• 7 adjustable rate mortgage: a loan for buying a house in which the interest rate can change:

  • ARM loans

• 8 a part of a large company or organization that is responsible for a particular activity or place:

  • A loss on the sale of its outdoor advertising arm pre-tax profits.

  • The German arm accounted for about 40% of materials handling.

  • The new constitution has strengthened the legislative arm of government.