arme French · revision 16460

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (armes)|origins=la arma}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /aʁm/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''arme''' ''f'' (plural armes)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-lat|arma|t=weapon]], the classical neuter plural [[la|arma|t=arms; tools]] taken as a feminine singular, as in all the Romance languages.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)^(FEW|25, 238a) Rey calls it an early borrowing.^(DHLF 1992) The Latin word probably comes from [[m|la|armus|t=upper arm, shoulder]]: “arma” were first what equips or extends the arm in a fight.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Rey connects “armus” with [[grc|ἁρμός|tr=harmós]] and [[sa|ईर्म|tr=īrmá]] and with Latin [[m|la|ars]], [[m|la|artus]] and [[m|la|rītus]], Wiktionary takes “arma” back to [[ine-pro|*h₂(e)rmos]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|arma]], [[es|arma]], [[pt|arma]] and [[ca|arma]].^(REW 1935)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) the plural ''armes'' means a knight's armour and equipment: ''Mout se fait fier de ses armes porter'' (“he takes great pride in bearing his arms”); the poem also has the cry ''as armes !'' “to arms!”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Once ''armure'' had appeared in the 12th century, ''armes'' could mean above all offensive weapons; the singular is found from the 14th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Kinds of weapons were named as techniques changed: ''armes moulues'' (1247), ''armes de trait'' (1562), ''armes à feu'' (1671, after Provençal ''armas de fuech'', 1567), down to nuclear weapons.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ''Gens d'armes'' “soldiers” (1306), the source of [[gendarme]], ''homme d'armes'' and ''fait d'armes'' “feat of arms” are in Joinville's time, ''rendre les armes'' is found about 1200 and ''mettre bas les armes'' in 1606.^(DHLF 1992) ''Aux armes'' is recorded in 1465 and ''aux armes, citoyens'' in 1790, in what became ''La Marseillaise''.^(DHLF 1992) [[alarme]] was borrowed from Italian ''all'arme'' “to arms!”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Armes'' “armour”, ''as armes !'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1200 – ''Rendre les armes''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1306 – ''Gens d'armes''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 14th century – The singular ''arme''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ * 1465 – ''Aux armes''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1671 – ''Armes à feu''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1790 – ''Aux armes, citoyens''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|weapon]]: ''arme à feu'', ''arme blanche'', ''port d'armes''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(plural)'' Arms, the military life: ''prendre les armes'', ''être sous les armes''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''(plural, heraldry)'' A [[m|en|coat of arms]]: ''les armes de la ville''.^(TLFi)

+ # ''Rendre les armes'', ''déposer les armes'': to surrender, ''passer par les armes'': to execute by shooting.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Fait d'armes'': a feat of arms, ''aux armes !'': to arms!^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[armer]]

+ * [[armure]]

+ * [[alarme]]

+ * [[gendarme]]

+ * [[la|arma]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}