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up in arms

up in arm
U u

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [uhp in ahrm]
    • /ʌp ɪn ɑrm/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [uhp in ahrm]
    • /ʌp ɪn ɑrm/

Definitions of up in arms words

  • noun up in arms Usually, arms. weapons, especially firearms. 1
  • noun up in arms arms, Heraldry. the escutcheon, with its divisions, charges, and tinctures, and the other components forming an achievement that symbolizes and is reserved for a person, family, or corporate body; armorial bearings; coat of arms. 1
  • verb without object up in arms to enter into a state of hostility or of readiness for war. 1
  • verb with object up in arms to equip with weapons: to arm the troops. 1
  • verb with object up in arms to activate (a fuze) so that it will explode the charge at the time desired. 1
  • verb with object up in arms to cover protectively. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of up in arms

First appearance:

before 1200
One of the 9% oldest English words
1200-50 for v.; 1300-50 for noun; (v.) Middle English armen < Anglo-French, Old French armer < Latin armāre to arm, verbal derivative of arma (plural) tools, weapons (not akin to arm1); (noun) Middle English armes (plural) ≪ Latin arma, as above

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Up in arms

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

up in arms popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 99% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

up in arms usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for up in arms

adj up in arms

  • assertory — characterized by or relating to declaration or affirmation
  • bent out of shape — very angry, upset, or agitated
  • browned off — If you say that you are browned off, you mean that you are annoyed and depressed.
  • buffaloed — any of several large wild oxen of the family Bovidae. Compare bison, Cape buffalo, water buffalo.
  • corybantic — frenzied; agitated; unrestrained.

adjective up in arms

  • disputative — Tending to dispute.
  • infuriated — to make furious; enrage.
  • jingoistic — the spirit, policy, or practice of jingoes; bellicose chauvinism.
  • jousting — a combat in which two knights on horseback attempted to unhorse each other with blunted lances.
  • livid — having a discolored, bluish appearance caused by a bruise, congestion of blood vessels, strangulation, etc., as the face, flesh, hands, or nails.

adverb up in arms

  • hostile — of, relating to, or characteristic of an enemy: a hostile nation.

See also

Matching words

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