Arm Definition: Pronunciation, Sentences, and Practice

Knowing this word, you can express many ideas, from explaining to a nurse that your limb is numb to describing appearance, making comments during training and pointing to this body part quickly. You will find some ideas of how “arm” is used in daily conversations:

Even though “arm” is a specific word, there are variations you can choose to avoid repetition or because you just feel that way. It has many connected expressions as well, which you may find useful.

Related nouns: shoulder bicep tricep wrist

Synonyms (contextual): limb upper limb

Common collocations: left arm right arm arm strength arm movement stretch the arm

By learning collocations, you will be able to significantly broaden topics for discussion, not only define “arm.” Understanding which verbs you can use with “arm,” you will comment on the actions you need to take. Adjectives will help you describe your arm position, look, and state.

With adjectives: muscular arm strong arm sore arm bent arm extended arm

With verbs: raise an arm wave an arm shake an arm cross an arm lift an arm

With nouns (noun + noun): arm muscle arm position arm support arm length

What does “arm” mean in idiomatic expressions? It can be found in sayings that help convey positive ideas and have a strong connection to negative contexts, so when using a phrase, it is always appropriate to check where it suits.

• With open arms — refers to a warm and anticipated welcoming of people when someone is really happy to see them.

  The company welcomed me with open arms because it had been looking for a specialist like me for a while.

• Arm in arm — used to describe a kind of relationship between two people who press hands together, supporting each other.

    We walked arm in arm toward one goal.

• In the arms of Morpheus — describes someone who has already fallen asleep, but in a more poetic way.

    The baby was crying, but now she is in the arms of Morpheus. Let’s not disturb her.

By now, you may have learned the meaning of “arm,” and to identify the strong and weak areas of your understanding, you can pass some entertaining exercises that encompass all the points from collocations to idioms.

How do you think the pronunciation and the way you spell “arm” in other European languages differ? Look at the table and check:

“Arm” is more than just a part of the body in language. The word is connected to the history of influential families of the past, fascinating initiatives, and technological progression. Read further to know more about the mentioned things:

• More than 300 people holding each other’s arms stood up at the same time.

  In 2018, three charity organizations in Great Britain hosted an event where 301 people had to hold each other’s arms and stand up simultaneously. They did it to raise awareness about young carers. The achievement was recognized by the Guinness World Records.

• The title “coat of arms” comes from a type of cloth.

  Knights used to wear special surcoats that identified their connection to a particular family. This piece of clothing was worn on their bodies, including arms. That’s the reason why the coat of arms is named this way. Otherwise, it might have been called something else.

• Arms encouraged the technology revolution.

  Among the robots created, many of the first ones were intended to resemble a human arm, as their multifunctional abilities would be very useful for production in factories. Robotic arms from the 1960s redefined the way many industries operate now.

• The arm of the Statue of Liberty that holds the torch is 42 feet long.

  One of the most popular landmarks in the USA has quite long arms. From the base of its shoulder to the tips of its fingers, it extends to 42 feet. By the way, the torch has an additional 16 feet and weighs more than 3,600 pounds according to The New York Times.

Those who have a knack for expressing themselves in different situations use the word “arm” in their messages to raise essential topics, such as self-respect and mind-driven actions, drawing a picture that everyone can understand.

— Israelmore Ayivor

Explanation: This saying highlights the necessity of effective planning and completion when it comes to being a good leader. The allegory with two arms aptly conveys the idea that these two keys are essential for opening the door to success.

— Dwight D. Eisenhower

Explanation: The 34th President of the United States reminded people that significant changes are needed, but new benchmarks should be reached through the work of the mind, not the force of arms.

— Alexandre Dumas

Explanation: This powerful line, said by a popular French author, conveys the truth about the ruinous power of self-doubt. When you don’t believe in yourself, you take away your advantages.