stand-to-armsn.
/ˌstan(d)tʊˈɑːmz/, U.S. /ˌstæn(d)tʊˈɑrmz/ Military.
The action of standing in battle order with arms presented, in readiness for combat; (also) a period of this. Cf. to stand to arms at arms n. Phrases 1k, stand-to n.
ΚΠ
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. III. vii. iii. 416 Whereupon also, on the Republican side, there will be rapid stand-to-arms.
1915 A. D. Gillespie Let. 11 Mar. in Lett. from Flanders (1916) 43 As I write, during the evening ‘stand to arms’, the birds are all singing in spite of the sniping.
2012 Ararat (Austral.) Advertiser (Nexis) 24 Apr. 12 The second service will be a Stand-to-Arms at the Cenotaph from 9am, followed by a march to the Memorial Hall for a remembrance service.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2022).
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n.1837