arm

arm

synonyms, antonyms, definitions, examples & translations of arm in English

English Online Dictionary. What means arm‎? What does arm mean?

Translingual

Symbol

arm

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

English

Pronunciation

  • (UK) enPR: äm, IPA(key): /ɑːm/
  • (US) enPR: ärm, IPA(key): /ɑɹm/
  • (General Australian) enPR: äm, IPA(key): /ɐːm/
  • Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)m

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)

  2. (anatomy) The portion of the upper human appendage, from the shoulder to the wrist and sometimes including the hand.
  3. (anatomy) The extended portion of the upper limb, from the shoulder to the elbow.
  4. A limb, or locomotive or prehensile organ, of an invertebrate animal.
  5. The part of a piece of clothing that covers the arm.
    Synonym: sleeve
  6. A long, narrow, more or less rigid part of an object extending from the main part or centre of the object, such as the armrest of an armchair, a crane, a pair of spectacles or a pair of compasses.
  7. (geography) A bay or inlet off a main body of water.
  8. A branch of an organization.
  9. (figurative) Power; might; strength; support.
  10. (baseball, slang) A pitcher
  11. (genetics) One of the two parts of a chromosome.
  12. 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
  • armth

References

  • The Dictionary of the Scots Language

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.
  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
  • See also Thesaurus:weapon
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.
  2. (transitive, figurative) To supply with the equipment, knowledge, authority, or other tools needed for a particular task; to furnish with capability; to equip.
    • 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; […]
  3. (transitive) To prepare (a tool, weapon, or system) for action; to activate.
  4. (intransitive, of a tool, weapon, or system) To become prepared for action; to activate.
  5. (transitive) To cover or furnish with a plate, or with whatever will add strength, force, security, or efficiency.
  6. (intransitive) To take up weapons; to arm oneself.
  7. (transitive) To fit (a magnet) with an armature.
Synonyms
  • (furnish with weapons): beweapon
Derived terms
Translations

Anagrams

  • -mar-, AMR, MAR, MRA, Mar, Mar., RAM, RMA, Ram, mar, mar-, ram

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch arm.

Pronunciation

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  1. arm

Cimbrian

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.
  • èrmel

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
  • armakhot, èrmakhot
  • èrmar stòkh

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

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /arm/, [ɑːˀm]

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

Further reading

  • arm on the Danish Wikipedia.Wikipedia da
  • Arm (flertydig) on the Danish Wikipedia.Wikipedia da

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɑrm/
  • Hyphenation: arm
  • Rhymes: -ɑrm

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)

  2. arm
  3. 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)

  2. poor (not rich)
    arme landen ― poor countries
  3. poor (unfortunate)
    arme stakker… ― poor soul…
Declension
Derived terms
Descendants
  • Afrikaans: arm
  • Berbice Creole Dutch: arum
  • Jersey Dutch: arm
  • Negerhollands: aerm
  • Petjo: arm

Anagrams

  • ram

East Central German

Verb

arm

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

Further reading

Estonian

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

Noun

arm

  1. indefinite accusative singular of armur

German

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

  • IPA(key): [aʁm]

Adjective

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

  1. poor (having little money)
  2. poor (to be pitied)
    arm dran sein ― to have bad luck
    lieber arm dran als Arm ab ― better 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

  • reich

Derived terms

  • Armenkasse
  • Armenkrankenhaus
  • Arme Ritter
  • armes Würstchen

Further reading

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

Icelandic

Noun

arm

  1. indefinite accusative singular of armur

Irish

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

  • (Munster, Aran) IPA(key): /ˈɑɾˠəmˠ/
  • (Connemara, Mayo, Ulster) IPA(key): /ˈaɾˠəmˠ/

Noun

arm m (genitive singular airm, nominative plural airm)

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

Declension

Derived terms

Mutation

References

Further reading

  • Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “arm”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
  • Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “arm”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 40
  • de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “arm”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
  • “arm”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

Jersey Dutch

Alternative forms

  • ārm

Etymology

From Dutch arm. Cognates include Afrikaans arm.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɑrm/

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

Etymology

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

Noun

arm

  1. peace
  2. love

Manx

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

  • Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “arm”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Middle Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /arm/

Etymology 1

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

Noun

arm m

  2. arm
Inflection
Alternative forms
  • ārem
  • āerm
Descendants
  • Dutch: arm
    • Afrikaans: arm
    • Javindo: arrem
    • Negerhollands: arm, erm
  • Limburgish: erm
Further reading
  • “arm (I)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “arm (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I

Etymology 2

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

Adjective

arm

  2. poor, having few possessions
  3. unfortunate, pitiable
Inflection
Alternative forms
  • ārem
Descendants
  • Dutch: arm
    • Afrikaans: arm
    • Berbice Creole Dutch: arum
    • Jersey Dutch: arm
    • Negerhollands: aerm
    • Petjo: arm
  • Limburgish: erm
Further reading
  • “arm (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “arm (II)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page II

Middle English

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

  • arum, harm, erm, herm

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  2. arm
Descendants
  • English: arm
  • Scots: airm
  • Yola: arrm

References

  • “arm, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

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

  2. poor
  3. miserable, wretched
Descendants
  • English: arm
  • Scots: arm

References

  • “arm, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse armr.

Adjective

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

  1. poor

Synonyms

  • fattig

Noun

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

  1. (anatomy) an arm

Derived terms

References

  • “arm” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɑrm/

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
  • arming

References

  • “arm” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Anagrams

  • mar, ram

Old Dutch

Etymology 1

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

Noun

arm m

  2. 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

  2. poor
Inflection

This adjective needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms
  • armo
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

Alternative forms

  • earm

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɑrm/, [ɑrˠm]

Noun

arm m (Anglian)

  1. Alternative form of earm

Declension

Old High German

Alternative forms

  • aram, arma

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /arm/

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

  2. (anatomy) arm
Declension
Derived terms
  • armboug
  • armil
Descendants
  • Middle High German: arm, arn
    • Alemannic German: Aare, Arm, Are, Arme
    • Bavarian: Oarm
      Cimbrian: arm
    • Central Franconian: Ärm, Arm, Orm (Moselle Franconian)
      Hunsrik: Aarem
    • German: Arm
    • Luxembourgish: Aarm
    • Rhine Franconian:
      • Pennsylvania German: Aarm
    • Yiddish: אָרעם (orem)

Etymology 2

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

Adjective

arm

  2. poor, miserable
Declension
Derived terms
  • arming
Descendants
  • Middle High German: arm
    • Cimbrian: arm
    • German: arm
    • Luxembourgish: aarm
    • Plautdietsch: aarem
    • Yiddish: אָרעם (orem)

References

  • Joseph Wright, An Old High German Primer

Old Saxon

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

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
  • întrema

See also

  • armă
  • spată

Scots

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /aːrm/

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

  • airm, arme, harme, areme, airme

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

  • aarm

Noun

arm (plural arms)

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

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈaɾam/

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 Mhòr ― British Army in the First World War (the armed forces as a whole)
    armailt Bhreatannach ann an Afraga ― British Army in Africa

Derived terms

  • taigh-airm

Mutation

Further reading

  • Edward Dwelly (1911) “arm”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎[5], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
  • Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “arm”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Swedish

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
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
Derived terms
  • utarma

References

  • arm in Svensk ordbok (SO)
  • arm in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
  • arm in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
  • Svensk MeSH

Anagrams

  • mar, ram

Yimas

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.'

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This article based on an article on Wiktionary. The list of authors can be seen in the page history there. The original work has been modified. This article is distributed under the terms of this license.