WEAPON

weapon, arm, weapon system

(noun) any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting; “he was licensed to carry a weapon”

weapon, artillery

(noun) a means of persuading or arguing; “he used all his conversational weapons”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

weapon (plural weapons)

An instrument of attack or defense in combat or hunting, e.g. most guns, missiles, or swords.

An instrument or other means of harming or exerting control over another.

(informal, humorous) A tool of any kind.

(Scotland, Britain, slang, pejorative) An idiot, an oaf, a fool, a tool; a contemptible or incompetent person.

Synonyms

• See also weapon

Hyponyms

• assault weapon

• anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW)

• anti-tank weapon

• atomic weapon

• biological weapon

• bioweapon

• chemical weapon

• cold weapon

• conventional weapon

• crew-served weapon

• cyberweapon

• doomsday weapon

• gun

• mass destruction weapon

• murder weapon

• nuclear weapon

• pistol

• radiological weapon

• ranged weapon

• section automatic weapon

• siege weapon

• space weapon

• squad automatic weapon

• superweapon

• sword

• thermonuclear weapon

• weapon of mass destruction (WMD)

• weapon of wholesale destruction

Source: Wiktionary


Weap"on, n. Etym: [OE. wepen, AS. w; akin to OS. w, OFries. w, w, D. wapen, G. waffe, OHG. waffan, wafan, Icel. vapn, Dan. vaaben, Sw. vapen, Goth. w, pl.; of uncertain origin. Cf. Wapentake.]

1. An instrument of offensive of defensive combat; something to fight with; anything used, or designed to be used, in destroying, defeating, or injuring an enemy, as a gun, a sword, etc. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. 2 Cor. x. 4. They, astonished, all resistance lost, All courage; down their idle weapons dropped. Milton.

2. Fig.: The means or instrument with which one contends against another; as, argument was his only weapon. "Woman's weapons, water drops." Shak.

3. (Bot.)

Definition: A thorn, prickle, or sting with which many plants are furnished. Concealed weapons. See under Concealed.

– Weapon salve, a salve which was supposed to cure a wound by being applied to the weapon that made it. [Obs.] Boyle.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

23 December 2024

QUANDONG

(noun) Australian tree having hard white timber and glossy green leaves with white flowers followed by one-seeded glossy blue fruit


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

Brazil is the largest coffee producer in the world. Each year Brazil exports more than 44 million bags of coffee. Vietnam follows at exporting over 27 million bags each year.

coffee icon