arm
arm — noun
1. the long body part that runs from your shoulder to your hand, with an elbow in t
the long body part that runs from your shoulder to your hand, with an elbow in the middle, used for lifting, carrying, and reaching.
Sami broke her left arm when she fell off the swing.
common collocation: break + arm
The little boy held a teddy bear under his arm.
preposition: under + arm
My grandmother put her arms around me and gave me a long hug.
Esme waved his arms wildly to get the taxi driver's attention.
After painting the ceiling for an hour, my arms really started to ache.
用法筆記
Often appears with possessive pronouns (my, his, her) and with verbs of motion (raise, fold, stretch, wave). The plural 'arms' meaning weapons is a separate sense, not this one.
常見錯誤
2. the raised side section on a chair or sofa where you place your elbow, or the tu
the raised side section on a chair or sofa where you place your elbow, or the tube of fabric on a shirt or coat that wraps around your arm.
Grandpa rested his cup of tea on the arm of the old leather chair.
the arm of + chair / sofa
There was a small tear in the right arm of Tomoko's wedding dress.
the arm of + clothing item
The cat liked to sleep curled up on the arm of the sofa.
Otto rolled up the arms of his sweater before washing the dishes.
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'of' + the chair, sofa, jacket, or shirt it belongs to. 'Sleeve' is the more common word for the clothing meaning in everyday British and American English.
3. in the phrase 'arm in arm', describing two people walking close together with on
in the phrase 'arm in arm', describing two people walking close together with one person's bent elbow hooked through the elbow of the other.
The bride and her father walked arm in arm down the aisle.
fixed phrase: arm in arm
The two old friends strolled arm in arm along the riverside path.
arm in arm + verb of walking
We saw an elderly couple walking arm in arm through the park at sunset.
Uri and her best friend posed arm in arm for the graduation photo.
文法句型
arm in arm
用法筆記
Only appears in the fixed phrase 'arm in arm'. Distinguish from 'hand in hand' (holding hands) — 'arm in arm' specifically means elbows are linked.
常見錯誤
4. in the phrase 'on someone's arm', referring to a date or romantic partner who sh
in the phrase 'on someone's arm', referring to a date or romantic partner who shows up beside you at a public event such as a premiere or gala.
The actor arrived at the premiere with a famous singer on his arm.
on + possessive + arm
The young diplomat showed up at the ball with his fiancée on his arm.
Sofia walked into the gala with a handsome stranger on her arm.
Reporters always notice who is on the senator's arm at charity dinners.
文法句型
on someone's arm
用法筆記
Almost always used about formal or public events (premieres, galas, weddings). Can carry a subtly old-fashioned or tabloid tone, suggesting the companion is being shown off.
5. a long, thin piece sticking out from a larger machine or device, often one that
a long, thin piece sticking out from a larger machine or device, often one that swings, lifts, or rotates to do a specific job.
The robot arm in the factory picks up car doors and welds them in place.
robot arm in industrial use
A long mechanical arm lowered the camera into the deep underwater cave.
mechanical arm + verb of action
The needle on the record player sits at the end of a thin metal arm.
Engineers replaced the broken arm of the crane before lifting any more steel beams.
用法筆記
Often paired with adjectives like 'mechanical', 'robotic', or 'long', or with the name of the machine ('the arm of the crane'). Subject is usually inanimate.
6. a slim strip of sea, lake, or land that reaches out from, but stays attached to,
a slim strip of sea, lake, or land that reaches out from, but stays attached to, a bigger area.
Our small boat sailed up a quiet arm of the sea between two green islands.
arm of the sea / lake
A narrow arm of the lake reaches deep into the pine forest north of the village.
The fishermen sheltered in a sandy arm of land that curved out into the bay.
On the map, you can see a long arm of the river snaking through the desert.
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'of the sea / lake / river' or 'of land'. More common in geography texts and travel writing than in everyday speech.
7. a separate part of a big company, government, or group that handles one particul
a separate part of a big company, government, or group that handles one particular kind of work or covers one area.
The publishing arm of the company earns more money than its newspaper division.
the [field] arm of + organization
The investigation was led by the intelligence arm of the federal police.
intelligence arm / military arm
The charity opened a new arm in Kenya to deliver clean water to rural villages.
The research arm of the university focuses entirely on cancer treatments.
用法筆記
Subject is usually an institution (company, government, charity, university). Often modified by an adjective naming the function: 'research arm', 'military arm', 'investment arm'.
8. in sports talk, the strength and accuracy a player has when throwing a ball, esp
in sports talk, the strength and accuracy a player has when throwing a ball, especially in baseball or American football.
The young pitcher has an amazing arm and can throw the ball over 95 miles an hour.
have + adjective + arm
Coaches praised the quarterback for his strong arm and quick decisions.
strong arm in sports context
Even at age forty, the outfielder still had a great arm from deep right field.
Scouts say the boy from Osaka has the best arm of any high school catcher this year.
- throw
used as a noun: 'a great throw', focuses on one action rather than overall ability
用法筆記
Subject is always a player; verb is almost always 'have' plus an adjective ('a good arm', 'a strong arm', 'a great arm'). Mostly heard in baseball, American football, and cricket commentary.
常見錯誤
arm — verb
1. to give a person, group, or country guns, bombs, or other weapons, or to pick up
to give a person, group, or country guns, bombs, or other weapons, or to pick up weapons yourself.
The government decided to arm the local police with stun guns instead of pistols.
arm + someone + with + weapon
Rebel fighters armed themselves with rifles taken from an abandoned military base.
arm yourself with + weapon
Western countries continued to arm the small nation against its larger neighbour.
The guards were armed and stood watch at every gate of the palace.
- disarm
to take weapons away from someone or something
文法句型
arm someone with something
arm yourself
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive ('be armed') or with reflexive pronouns ('arm themselves'). The thing given is introduced by 'with'. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense always involves real weapons.
常見錯誤
2. to give someone the equipment, facts, or skills they need so that they are ready
to give someone the equipment, facts, or skills they need so that they are ready to do a task or face a challenge.
The workshop armed new teachers with practical strategies for noisy classrooms.
arm + person + with + skills/tools
Uri arrived at the meeting armed with charts, photos, and three years of sales data.
armed with + facts/evidence
The journalist went into the interview armed with tough questions about the contract.
Parents can arm their children with simple safety rules before the school trip.
文法句型
arm someone with something
用法筆記
Very often in the passive form 'armed with' followed by an abstract noun (information, knowledge, evidence, questions). Distinguish from verb sense 1: here the 'weapon' is figurative — facts, skills, or tools, not real arms.