small arm

noun

1. Usually small arms. a firearm designed to be held in one or both hands while being fired: in the United States the term is applied to weapons of a caliber of up to one inch (2.5 centimeters).

Other Words From

• small-armed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of small arm¹

First recorded in 1680–90

Example Sentences

It’s thankfully thin, so it’s not uncomfortable, but if you have a small arm, it will look conspicuous at best and ridiculous at worst.

From Popular-Science

We were then nine million small arm still to the good having spent eleven million.

From Project Gutenberg

Now, suppose each shaft to carry a small, toothed wheel, and that upon these teeth a small arm rests.

From Project Gutenberg

We soon reached a small arm of the Arkansas, on whose fresh, cool water we and our cattle fell insanely.

From Project Gutenberg

The marines and small-arm men returned the fire in right good earnest, while the boats advanced more rapidly than before.

From Project Gutenberg

In this way a big leg may be obtained at the expense of a small arm, or a good ear be the cause of an indifferent eye.

From Project Gutenberg