arm

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

English

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ɑːm/
  • Rhymes: -ɑː(r)m
  • (US) IPA(key): /ɑɹm/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Etymology 1

From Middle English arm, from Old English earm (“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”).

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  1. The portion of the upper human appendage, from the shoulder to the wrist and sometimes including the hand.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess‎:
      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.
    She stood with her right arm extended and her palm forward to indicate “Stop!”
  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. 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.
  5. (geography) A bay or inlet off a main body of water.
    Shelburne Bay is an arm of Lake Champlain.
  6. A branch of an organization.
    the cavalry arm of the military service
  7. (figuratively) Power; might; strength; support.
    the arm of the law
    the secular arm
    • Bible, Isa. lii. 1
      To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
  8. (baseball, slang) A pitcher
    The team needs to sign another arm in the offseason.
  9. (genetics) One of the two parts of a chromosome.
  10. 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) (obsolete)

  1. To take by the arm; to take up in one's arms.
    • Shakespeare
      And make him with our pikes and partisans / A grave: come, arm him.
    • Two N. Kins
      Arm your prize; / I know you will not lose him.
  2. To supply with arms or limbs.
    • Beaumont and Fletcher
      His shoulders broad and strong, / Armed long and round.

Etymology 2

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

Adjective

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

  1. (Britain dialectal, chiefly Scotland) Poor; lacking in riches or wealth.
    He's neither poor nor arm.
  2. (Britain dialectal, chiefly Scotland) To be pitied; pitiful; wretched.
References
Derived terms

Etymology 3

Back-formation from arms, from Middle English armes, from Old French armes, from Latin arma (“weapons”), from Proto-Indo-European *ar-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.
    • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island
      The next thing I laid hold of was a brace of pistols, and as I already had a powder horn and bullets, I felt myself well supplied with arms.
  2. (in the plural) heraldic bearings or insignia
    The Duke's arms were a sable gryphon rampant on an argent field.
Usage notes
  • Capitalized, the word is often used in the names of pubs, taverns and the like.
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. To supply with armour or (later especially) weapons.
  2. To prepare a tool or a weapon for action; to activate.
    Remember to arm an alarm system.
  3. 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
  4. (figuratively) To furnish with means of defence; to prepare for resistance; to fortify, in a moral sense.
    • Bible, 1 Peter iv. 1
      Arm yourselves […] with the same mind.
  5. To fit (a magnet) with an armature.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Anagrams

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch arm.

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  1. arm

Cimbrian

Noun

arm m (plural èrme)

  1. arm

Adjective

arm

  1. poor

Derived terms

References

  • “arm” in Umberto Martello Martalar, Alfonso Bellotto, Dizionario della lingua Cimbra dei Setti Communi vicentini, 1st edition, 1974.

Danish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /arm/, [ɑːˀm]

Etymology 1

From Old Norse armr (“arm”), from Proto-Germanic *armaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ar-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
Common singular arm — —2
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

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɑrm/
  • Audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɑrm

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch arm, from Old Dutch 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.
Derived terms

Etymology 2

From Middle Dutch arm, from Old Dutch 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 landen ― poor countries
  2. poor (unfortunate)
    arme stakker… ― poor soul…
Inflection
Inflection of arm
uninflected arm
inflected arme
comparative armer
positive comparative superlative
predicative/adverbial armarmerhet armst
het armste
indefinite m./f. sing. armearmerearmste
n. sing. armarmerarmste
plural armearmerearmste
definite armearmerearmste
partitive armsarmers—
Derived terms

Anagrams

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

Most likely derived from armas. Cognate to Votic armo (“grace, mercy”).

Noun

arm (genitive armu, partitive armu)

  1. mercy

Declension

German

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *armaz, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *h₂erH- (“to be sparse”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ʔaʁm]
  • Audio (Germany)(file)
  • Audio (Austria)(file)

Adjective

arm (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 poor luck than to have no more arm (language game)
  3. low (having a small amount)

Declension

Comparative forms of arm
number & gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter all genders
predicative er ist ärmer sie ist ärmer es ist ärmer sie sind ärmer
strong declension
(without article)		 nominative ärmerer ärmere ärmeres ärmere
genitive ärmeren ärmerer ärmeren ärmerer
dative ärmerem ärmerer ärmerem ärmeren
accusative ärmeren ärmere ärmeres ärmere
weak declension
(with definite article)		 nominative der ärmere die ärmere das ärmere die ärmeren
genitive des ärmeren der ärmeren des ärmeren der ärmeren
dative dem ärmeren der ärmeren dem ärmeren den ärmeren
accusative den ärmeren die ärmere das ärmere die ärmeren
mixed declension
(with indefinite article)		 nominative ein ärmerer eine ärmere ein ärmeres (keine) ärmeren
genitive eines ärmeren einer ärmeren eines ärmeren (keiner) ärmeren
dative einem ärmeren einer ärmeren einem ärmeren (keinen) ärmeren
accusative einen ärmeren eine ärmere ein ärmeres (keine) ärmeren

Antonyms

Derived terms

Further reading

  • 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

Noun

arm m (genitive singular airm, nominative plural airm)

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

Declension

Derived terms

Mutation

Irish mutation
RadicalEclipsiswith h-prothesiswith 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

  • "arm" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
  • “arm” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
  • “arm” in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, Irish Texts Society, 1st ed., 1904, by Patrick S. Dinneen, page 40.
  • Finck, F. N. (1899), Die araner mundart, Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, vol. II, p. 10.
  • Entries containing “arm” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
  • Entries containing “arm” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.

Jersey Dutch

Etymology

Cognate to Dutch arm (“poor”). Compare German arm (“poor”).

Adjective

arm

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

Livonian

Etymology

Akin to Finnish armas.

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

  • “arm” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.

Middle Dutch

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /arm/

Etymology 1

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

Noun

arm m

  1. arm
Inflection
Descendants

Etymology 2

From Old Dutch 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 armen arme arme arme
Genitive arms armer arms armer
Dative armen armer armen armen
Alternative forms
Descendants
  • Dutch: arm
  • Limburgish: Limburgish: erm

Further reading

  • “arm (I)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • “arm (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • “arm (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, 1929
  • “arm (II)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, 1929

Middle English

Etymology 1

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

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  1. arm
Descendants

Etymology 2

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

Adjective

arm

  1. poor
  2. miserable, wretched

Norwegian Bokmål

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

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɑrm/

Etymology 1

From Old Norse armr.

Adjective

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

  1. poor, pitiful (to be pitied)

Etymology 2

From Old Norse armr. Akin to English arm.

Noun

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

  1. (anatomy) an arm
Derived terms

References

Old English

Alternative forms

Etymology

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

Noun

arm m

  1. arm

Old High German

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /arm/

Etymology 1

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

Descendants

Etymology 2

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

Adjective

arm

  1. poor, miserable
Descendants

References

  • Joseph Wright, An Old High German Primer

Old Saxon

Etymology 1

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-Lippisch: Ārm
        Sauerländisch: Ārm, Ārem, Oarm
        Westmünsterländisch: Arm
    • Plautdietsch: Oam, Oarm

Etymology 2

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

Adjective

arm (comparative armoro, superlative armost)

  1. miserable, poor
Declension
Comparative forms of arm (weak only)
gender masculine neuter feminine
case singular plural singular plural singular plural
nominative armoro armoru armora armoru armora armoru
accusative armorun armorun armora armorun armorun armorun
genitive armorun armoronō armorun armoronō armorun armoronō
dative armorun armorum armorun armorum armorun armorum
Superlative forms of arm
Strong declension
gender masculine neuter feminine
case singular plural singular plural singular plural
nominative armost armoste armost armoste armost armostu
accusative armostana armoste armost armoste armosta armostu
genitive armostes armostarō armostes armostarō armostaro armostarō
dative armostumu armostum armostumu armostum armostaro armostum
Weak declension
gender masculine neuter feminine
case singular plural singular plural singular plural
nominative armosto armostu armosta armostu armosta armostu
accusative armostun armostun armosta armostun armostun armostun
genitive armostun armostonō armostun armostonō armostun armostonō
dative armostun armostum armostun armostum armostun armostum


Descendants

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

See also

Scots

Etymology 1

From Middle English arm, from Old English earm (“arm”), from Proto-Germanic *armaz (“arm”), from Proto-Indo-European *arəm- (“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-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 present arms, present participle armin, past armt, past participle armt)

  1. 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 present arms, present participle armin, past armt, past participle armt)

  1. to arm, outfit with weapons or armour

Etymology 4

From Old Norse armr (“wing of a body”).

Noun

arm (plural arms)

  1. 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

Mutation

Scottish Gaelic mutation
RadicalEclipsiswith h-prothesiswith t-prothesis
armn-armh-armt-arm
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

  • Faclair Gàidhlig Dwelly Air Loidhne, Dwelly, Edward (1911), Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan/The Illustrated [Scottish] Gaelic-English Dictionary (10th ed.), Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
  • “arm” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.

Swedish

Pronunciation

  • audio(file)

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 *h₂ermos, *h₂ŕ̥mos.

Adjective

arm

  1. (dated) poor; to be pitied
  2. (dated) poor; with no possessions or money
Declension
Inflection of arm
Indefinite Positive Comparative Superlative2
Common singular arm armare armast
Neuter singular armt armare armast
Plural arma 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.
Derived terms

Anagrams

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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