Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

3 VERB If you arm someone with something that will be useful in a particular situation, you provide them with it. □ [V n + with ] If she armed herself with knowledge, she could handle anything.

4 N‑PLURAL The arms of a city or of a noble family are its coat of arms. Arms is often used in the names of British pubs. □  …china painted with the arms of Philippe V. □  …his local pub, the Abercorn Arms.

5 → see also armed , -armed , coat of arms , comrade-in-arms , small arms

6 PHRASE A person's right to bear arms is their right to own and use guns, as a means of defence.

7 PHRASE If soldiers lay down their arms , they stop fighting and give up their weapons. [OLD-FASHIONED ]

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.