arms
/ɑːmz
/plural noun
1Weapons; armaments: arms and ammunition [as modifier]: arms exports...
- The leaders of both North and South Korea wished to unite the country by force of arms.
- What kind of war was the French army expecting and how was it intending to use its arms?
- Now after the election we need a big campaign to stop any new expenditure on nuclear arms.
Synonyms
weapons (of war), weaponry, firearms, guns, ordnance, cannon, artillery, armaments, munitions, instruments of war, war machines, military supplies, materiel
2Distinctive emblems or devices originally borne on shields in battle and now forming the heraldic insignia of families, corporations, or countries.Other princes and princesses fly a standard with the royal arms in an ermine border.
Synonyms
crest, emblem, heraldic device, coat of arms, armorial bearing, insignia, escutcheon, shield, heraldry, blazonry
Phrases
bear arms
a call to arms
in arms
lay down (one's) arms
take up arms
under arms
up in arms
Origin
Middle English: from Old French armes, from Latin arma.