| 释义 |
arm
I. \ˈärm, ˈȧm\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English arm, earm; akin to Old High German aram arm, Old Norse armr, Gothic arms, Latin armus shoulder, Greek harmos joint, Sanskrit īrma arm, Latin arma tools, weapons, art-, ars skill, Greek arariskein to fit; basic meaning: joining, fitting
1.
a.
(1) : a human upper limb
(2) : the part of an arm between the shoulder and the wrist; sometimes : the part of an arm above the elbow
b. : the corresponding part of any other vertebrate
c. : humerus
< a broken arm >
2.
a. : a limb or a locomotive or prehensile organ of an invertebrate animal: as
(1) : a ray of a starfish or brittle star
(2) : a brachium of a brachiopod or crinoid
b. : either of the two portions of a chromosome that lie lateral to the centromere
3.
a. : an inlet of water from the sea or from some other body of water : an often long and relatively narrow bay in the shoreline of a body of water
b. : a tributary or branch of a river or stream
4.
a. : a narrow extension of a larger area, mass or group
< Baja California, the long, narrow arm of western Mexico — Marion Wilhelm >
< the spiral arms of the Milky Way — George Gamow >
< an arm of the population >
b. : a ridge or elevation extending from a mountain : spur
< two enormous parallel arms with a high plateau between — Forrest Morgan >
c. : an extension of a building or of a group of buildings : wing
< a cruciform church with three equilateral arms >
5.
a. : power, might
< the arm of the law >
b. : strength, support
< the governor relied on diplomacy and his own capable arm >
6.
a. : branch
< the sheltering arms of the great birches and maples — John Burroughs >
b. : a lateral shoot (as of the grape, hop, or other plants); specifically : a main division of the trunk of a grapevine
7. : a support for the elbow and forearm
< his elbow resting on the left arm of the chair >
8. : a projecting part of a machine or mechanical appliance that often moves up and down or rotates
< the arms of a windmill >
< a long derrick arm — E.S.Gardner >
9.
a. : a lateral and usually horizontally extended attachment or device
< a metal arm to support a wall rack >
b. : one of two or more lateral and usually horizontally extended parts
< the arms of a candelabrum >
< the arms of a pair of eyeglasses >
c.
(1) : the end of a yard (as of a ship)
(2) : the part of an anchor from the crown to the fluke — see anchor illustration
10. : sleeve
< both arms of the shirt were torn >
11. baseball : ability to throw or pitch
< to lose one's arm >
12. : an extension, division, or supplement of a specified group or activity especially when viewed as accomplishing a functional and operative aim of the group or activity
< the logistical arm of the air force >
< because it is an arm of merchandising, the sales finance company is under a special incentive to promote consumer goodwill — C.W.Phelps >
< making literature serve utilitarian and ulterior ends as an arm of propaganda — C.I.Glicksberg >
13. : tone arm
< use of a properly adjusted professional-type pickup arm with diamond styli — R.D.Darrell >
14. : a shoulder cut of meat containing a small round bone and cross sections of three to five ribs — see beef illustration
Synonyms: see power
•
- arm in arm
- in arms
- in the arms of morpheus
II. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
transitive verb
1. obsolete : embrace
2. : to take or hold by the arm (as in guiding)
< arming her friend along through the town >
intransitive verb
: to develop lateral shoots or branches (as of the hop or pole bean)
III. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English armen, from Old French armer, from Latin armare, from arma (plural) tools, weapons
transitive verb
1. : to furnish or equip with weapons
< arming the soldiers for battle >
2. : to furnish or equip with something that adds strength, force, security, or efficiency
< an animal armed with a protective shell >
< armed with a good meal >
< the divers were armed with cameras and collecting gear — T.A.Manar >
3. : to prepare for struggle or resistance by some means other than physical : fortify morally
< armed only with knowledge — J.F.Golay >
4. : to equip, fit out, or ready for action or operation: as
a. : to free the plunger of (a percussion fuze) from the wire, pin, or other safety device so as to allow the plunger to be driven against the cap
b. : to apply grease or tallow to the socket at the end of (a sounding lead) so as to bring up a specimen of the sea bottom
< arm your lead with soap and sound all around the boat — H.A.Calahan >
c. : to make an adjustment in (a bomb, torpedo, or grenade) so that all safety devices are released and the mechanism is in such condition that it will function under predetermined conditions (as impact, pressure, proximity, preset time)
intransitive verb
: to prepare oneself (as with weapons) for struggle or resistance
< arming for the fight >
Synonyms: see furnish
IV. noun
(-s)
Etymology: back-formation from arms, plural, from Middle English armes, from Old French, from Latin arma
1.
a. : a means of offense or defense : weapon
< air power today is the dominant arm in war — Donald Armstrong >
< he had been found to be in possession of a prohibited arm — F.M.Ford >
especially : firearm
< an arms manufacturer >
— often used in plural
< taking up arms to defend themselves >
b. : a combat branch (as of an army)
< the coast artillery is an important arm of the military >
c. : an organized branch of national defense (as the navy)
2. arms plural
a. : the hereditary ensigns armorial of a family consisting of figures and colors borne (as on shields or banners) as marks of dignity and distinction
b. : heraldic devices adopted by governments as a symbol of authority or official dignity and used especially on seals and documents
c. : heraldic devices granted to or adopted by towns, corporations, and others as a badge or trademark
3. arms plural, archaic : defensive covering : armor
< clothed in brilliantly polished arms >
4. arms plural : active hostilities : warfare
< the call to arms >
5. arms plural : military service : a military career
< choosing arms as his profession >
Synonyms: see weapon
•
- in arms
- under arms
- up in arms
V. abbreviation
1. armature
2. armament |