at arm's length
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Related to at arm's length: hold at arm's length
arm 1
(ärm)n.
Idioms: 1. An upper limb of the human body, connecting the hand and wrist to the shoulder.
2. A part similar to a human arm, such as the forelimb of an animal or a long part projecting from a central support in a machine.
3. Something, such as a sleeve on a garment or a support on a chair, that is designed to cover or support the human arm.
4. A relatively narrow extension jutting out from a large mass: an arm of the sea. See Synonyms at branch.
5. An administrative or functional branch, as of an organization.
6. Power or authority: the long arm of the law.
7. Sports The skill of throwing or pitching a ball well.
an arm and a leg Slang
An excessively high price: a cruise that cost an arm and a leg.
arm in arm
With arms linked together: They walked across the beach arm in arm.
at arm's length
At such a distance that physical or social contact is discouraged: kept the newcomer at arm's length at first.
with open arms
With great cordiality and hospitality.
armed (ärmd) adj.
arm 2
(ärm)n.
1. A weapon, especially a firearm: troops bearing arms; ICBMs, bombs, and other nuclear arms.
2. A branch of a military force: infantry, armor, and other combat arms.
3. arms
a. Warfare: a call to arms against the invaders.
b. Military service: several million volunteers under arms; the profession of arms.
4. arms
a. Heraldry Bearings.
b. Insignia, as of a state, an official, a family, or an organization.
v. armed, arm·ing, arms
v.intr.
1. To supply or equip oneself with weaponry.
2. To prepare oneself for warfare or conflict.
v.tr.
Idiom: 1. To equip with weapons: armed themselves with loaded pistols; arm a missile with a warhead; arm a nation for war.
2. To equip with what is needed for effective action: tax advisers who were armed with the latest forms.
3. To provide with something that strengthens or protects: a space reentry vehicle that was armed with a ceramic shield.
4. To prepare (a weapon or electronic system, such as an alarm) for use or operation, as by releasing a safety device.
up in arms
Extremely upset; indignant.
[From Middle English armes, weapons, from Old French, pl. of arme, weapon, from Latin arma, weapons; see ar- in Indo-European roots. Verb, Middle English armen, from Old French armer, from Latin armāre, from arma.]
armed (ärmd) adj.
arm′er n.
ARM
abbr.
adjustable-rate mortgage
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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| Adv. | 1. |  at arm's length - at some distance; "keep someone at arm's length" |
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