English

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Etymology

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From a now-obsolete sense of up (in revolt).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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up in arms (not comparable)

  1. (literal, now uncommon) Armed for battle; prepared for or engaged in warfare.
    • c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: []”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv], page 199, column 2:
      March on, march on, ſince we are vp in Armes,
      If not to fight with forraine Enemies,
      Yet to beat downe theſe Rebels here at home.
    • 1769, [Oliver] Goldsmith, chapter 18, in The Roman History, from the Foundation of the City of Rome, to the Destruction of the Western Empire. [], volume II, London: [] S. Baker and G. Leigh, []; T[homas] Davies, []; and L. Davis, [], →OCLC, page 372:
      News was brought him, that the Scythians, and barbarous nations of the North, were again up in arms, and invading the empire with furious impetuosity.
  2. (figuratively) Angry; incensed; preparing for a fight.
    The union members are up in arms over threats of pay cuts.
    • 1594, Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: [], London: [] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Henry Bell, [], published 1622, →OCLC, [Act I]:
      Lan[caster]. My lord, will you take armes against the king?
      Bish[op]. What neede I, God himselfe is vp in armes,
      When violence is offered to the church.
      This usage blends the two senses: the archbishop puns on Lancaster's literal call to arms by invoking God's anger.
    • 1749, Henry Fielding, chapter 5, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume III, London: A[ndrew] Millar, [], →OCLC, book 18, page 301:
      Allworthy was of a cooler Disposition than the good Woman, whose Spirits were all up in Arms in the Cause of her Friend.
    • 2003 September 28, David Diamond, “The Way We Live Now: 9-28-03: Questions for Linus Torvalds; The Sharer”, in The New York Times Magazine[1]:
      Is file-sharing, which has the recording industry so up in arms, the “dark side” of open-source attitudes?
    • 2023 March 24, Nathan J. Robinson, “The Problem With AI Is the Problem With Capitalism”, in Jacobin[2]:
      Many artists are up in arms about the new AI programs — and with good reason. Some are furious that their works have been used as training data without their permission.

Usage notes

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  • "All" may be added as an intensifier at the beginning of the expression, as in:
Her father was all up in arms when we returned late at night.

See also

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Further reading

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