8 PHRASE If one group or country takes up arms against another, they prepare to attack and fight them. □ They threatened to take up arms against the government if their demands were not met.
9 PHRASE If people are up in arms about something, they are very angry about it and are protesting strongly against it. □ Environmental groups are up in arms about plans for fracking in the area. COLLOCATIONS arm NOUN
➊1
adjective + arm : left, right, upper; bare, muscular, prosthetic; folded, open, outstretched
verb + arm : cross, fold, link; raise, wave; break
➊ 6
noun + arm : finance, investment, management, research
adjective + arm : charitable, commercial, investigative
➋ 1
adjective + arms : nuclear; illegal
verb + arms : bear, carry; smuggle, supply
ar|ma|da /ɑː r mɑː də/ (armadas ) N‑COUNT An armada is a large group of warships.
ar|ma|dil|lo /ɑː r məd I loʊ/ (armadillos ) N‑COUNT An armadillo is a small animal whose body is covered with large bony scales and which rolls itself into a ball when it is attacked. Armadillos are mainly found in South and Central America.
Ar|ma|ged|don /ɑː r məge d ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Armageddon is a terrible battle or war that some people think will lead to the total destruction of the world or the human race.
Ar|ma|gnac /ɑː r mənjæk/ (Armagnacs ) N‑VAR Armagnac is a type of brandy made in south-west France.
ar|ma|ments /ɑː r məmənts/ N‑PLURAL Armaments are weapons and military equipment belonging to an army or country. □ …global efforts to reduce nuclear and other armaments.
arm|band /ɑː r mbænd/ (armbands )
1 N‑COUNT An armband is a band of fabric that you wear round your upper arm in order to show that you have an official position or belong to a particular group. Some people also wear a black armband to show that a friend or relation has died.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Armbands are plastic rings filled with air that people who are learning to swim wear on their upper arms to help them float. [mainly BRIT ]
arm|chair /ɑː r mtʃeə r / (armchairs )
1 N‑COUNT An armchair is a big comfortable chair which has a support on each side for your arms.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] An armchair critic, fan, or traveller knows about a particular subject from reading or hearing about it rather than from practical experience.
armed ◆◆◇ /ɑː r md/
1 ADJ Someone who is armed is carrying a weapon, usually a gun. □ City police said the man was armed with a revolver. □ …a barbed-wire fence patrolled by armed guards. □ The rebels are well organised, disciplined and very well armed.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] An armed attack or conflict involves people fighting with guns or carrying weapons. □ They had been found guilty of armed robbery.
3 → see also arm ➊, -armed
-armed /-ɑː r md/
1 COMB -armed is used with adjectives to indicate what kind of arms someone has. □ …plump-armed women in cotton dresses.
2 COMB -armed is used with adjectives such as 'nuclear' and nouns such as 'missile' to form adjectives that indicate what kind of weapons an army or person has. □ …nuclear-armed navy vessels.
3 → see also armed
a rmed fo rces ◆◇◇ N‑PLURAL The armed forces or the armed services of a country are its military forces, usually the army, navy, marines, and air force.
arm|ful /ɑː r mfʊl/ (armfuls ) N‑COUNT An armful of something is the amount of it that you can carry fairly easily. □ [+ of ] He hurried out with an armful of brochures.
arm|hole /ɑː r mhoʊl/ (armholes ) N‑COUNT The armholes of something such as a shirt or dress are the openings through which you put your arms, or the places where the sleeves are attached.
ar|mi|stice /ɑː r m I st I s/ N‑SING An armistice is an agreement between countries who are at war with one another to stop fighting and to discuss ways of making peace. □ Finally, the Bolsheviks signed an armistice with Germany.
arm|load /ɑː r mloʊd/ (armloads ) N‑COUNT An armload of something is the same as an armful of something. □ [+ of ] …an armload of books.
ar|mor /ɑː r mə r / → see armour
ar|mored /ɑː r mə r d/ → see armoured
ar|mor|er /ɑː r mərə r / (armorers ) → see armourer
ar|mory /ɑː r məri/ (armories ) → see armoury
ar|mour /ɑː r mə r / in AM, use armor 1 N‑UNCOUNT In former times, armour was special metal clothing that soldiers wore for protection in battle. □ …knights in armour.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Armour consists of tanks and other military vehicles used in battle. [MILITARY ] □ …the biggest movement of heavy British armour.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Armour is a hard, usually metal, covering that protects a vehicle against attack. □ …a formidable warhead that can penetrate the armour of most tanks.
4 → see also body armour
5 knight in shining armour → see knight