armfuln.
/ˈɑːmfʊl/, U.S. /ˈɑrmˌfʊl/ 1.
a. A quantity that fills the arm; as much or many of something that can be held in one or both arms.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > the scientific measurement of volume > measure(s) of capacity > amount defined by capacity > [noun] > amount that fills part of body > arm
lock1440
armful1487
arm-load1738
yaffle1842
1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xvii. l. 821 Women with child and childir small In Arme-fullis gaderit vp, and bair Till thame that on the wallis war Arrowes.
a1600 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1899) I. 312 Ane baxter..brocht his armefull of stray.
1603 T. Dekker 1603: Wonderfull Yeare sig. D2v Rosemary which had wont to be solde for 12. pence an armefull, went now for sixe shillings a handfull.
1653 Ld. Vaux tr. A. Godeau Life St. Paul 297 The Apostle took up an armfull of sticks.
1747 R. Maxwell Pract. Bee-master 41 An Armful of Grass or Weeds, of no bad Smell, is as good as any Thing to hinder the Sun.
1798 Trans. Soc. Arts 16 152 At the time of supping the horses up, after they are bedded, give every horse a small armful.
1824 J. Galt Rothelan I. i. xiii. 123 Followed by the nurse with an armful of apparel.
1865 M. A. Barker Let. 1 Dec. in Station Life N.Z. (1870) 32 The wool tables, to which two boys were..bringing armfuls of rolled-up fleeces.
1990 N.Y. Woman Nov. 82/2 One of my favorite ways to spend a weekday afternoon is to..gather up an armful of magazines..and head on over to my fondest afternoon hangout.
2009 N.Y. Times Mag. 17 May 38/1 A delivery man with an armful of Casablanca lilies wanted to know where the rest of the flowers in his truck should go.
b. More generally: a large quantity, a lot, a great deal. by armfuls: (in quot. 1579) in great quantities.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > [noun] > (a) great quantity or amount
felec825
muchc1230
good wone1297
plentyc1300
bushelc1374
sight1390
mickle-whata1393
forcea1400
manynessa1400
multitudea1400
packc1400
a good dealc1430
greata1450
sackful1484
power1489
horseloadc1500
mile1508
lump1523
a deal?1532
peckc1535
heapa1547
mass1566
mass1569
gallon1575
armful1579
cart-load1587
mickle1599
bushelful1600–12
a load1609
wreck1612
parisha1616
herd1618
fair share1650
heapa1661
muchness1674
reams1681
hantle1693
mort1694
doll?1719
lift1755
acre1759
beaucoup1760
ton1770
boxload1795
boatload1807
lot1811
dollop1819
swag1819
faggald1824
screed1826
Niagara1828
wad1828
lashings1829
butt1831
slew1839
ocean1840
any amount (of)1848
rake1851
slather1857
horde1860
torrent1864
sheaf1865
oodlesa1867
dead load1869
scad1869
stack1870
jorum1872
a heap sight1874
firlot1883
oodlings1886
chunka1889
whips1888
God's quantity1895
streetful1901
bag1917
fid1920
fleetful1923
mob1927
bucketload1930
pisspot1944
shitload1954
megaton1957
mob-o-ton1975
gazillion1978
buttload1988
shit ton1991
1579 J. Stubbs Discouerie Gaping Gulf sig. C.7 By armefuls lading [money] out of the eschequer.
c1613 S. Rowlands More Knaues Yet? 28 I like a handfull of old loue and true, Better then these whole armefuls of your new.
1709 H. Cross-Grove in M. Earbery Battle of Oudenarde To Rdr. The Papists ran away with an Armful of Faith, the Non-juror with Hope, the High-church-man with Truth, [etc.].
1899 J. H. M'Carthy Short Hist. United States xv. 255 Clay..came to the front again with an armful of new compromises.
1926 Amer. Mercury Dec. 465 The girl is a looker with an armful of S.A. (sex appeal).
1986 B. Dijkstra Idols of Perversity i. 6 The statistical analysis of a hefty armful of historical data.
1991 Guardian (Nexis) 12 June The Emperor also works at regular reshuffles, despatching to the garotte whole armfuls of offenders.
2014 Ireland's Eye Mar. 31/1 I..became technical director of a significant company, acquiring an armful of patents in my name on the way.
c. A quantity or amount of something (typically jewellery) that covers or almost covers the arm.
ΚΠ
1889 Lock Haven (Pa.) Express 9 May 1/6 The girl with an armful of bracelets is about again.
1945 Fitchburg (Mass.) Sentinel 19 Oct. 4/1 (advt.) An armful of bangles to wrap around your arm!
1960 Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller-Times 23 Oct. 8 e (advt.) An armful of gold gives a rich note to new fall fashion.
1995 R. La Plante Hog Fever 197 His sleeves were rolled up, and he had two armfuls of tattoos.
2005 D. Steel Toxic Bachelors 42 She was wearing an armful of silver and turquoise bracelets.
2. colloquial. A girl or woman, esp. a large or curvaceous one.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > person > woman > [noun] > large woman
armful1608
scow1866
1602 T. Dekker Blurt Master-Constable sig. D3 Those Ladies spend their houres of pastime but ill, (ô most rich armefull of beautie).]
1608 G. Markham & L. Machin Dumbe Knight iii. sig. F3 Thou hast a rich roome, safe locks, sweete sheetes, a choice armefull.
1678 T. Duffett Psyche Debauch'd 32 She's an Armfull for one of the Gods, for Iupiter himself.
1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd ii. iv. 33 O Charming Armfu' hence ye Cares away, I'll kiss my Treasure a' the live lang Day.
1787 R. Burns Let. 7 Jan. in G. S. Wilkie Robert Burns: Life in Lett. (2011) 68 I don't think I shall ever meet with so delicious an armful again.
1887 Judy 28 Dec. 306/2 Well, my boy, she's not exactly youthful; but she's an armful.
1899 B. W. Green Word-bk. Virginia Folk-speech 45 A large woman is called an armfull.
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. vi. [Hades] 102 I danced with her, wait, fifteen seventeen golden years ago, at Mat Dillon's, in Roundtown. And a good armful she was.
1942 J. Cary To be Pilgrim xv. 32 I thought of Sara, ‘A nice armful, and no doubt ready for anything’.
1993 B. Whitehead Sweet Death come Softly 138 She was a right nice little armful was Betty.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2016; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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