weapon

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weap·on

(wĕp′ən)

1. An instrument of attack or defense in combat, as a gun, missile, or sword.

2. Zoology A part or organ, such as a claw or stinger, used by an animal in attack or defense.

3. A means used to defend against or defeat another: Logic was her weapon.

tr.v. weap·oned, weap·on·ing, weap·ons

To supply with weapons or a weapon; arm.

[Middle English wepen, from Old English wǣpen.]

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.

weapon

(ˈwɛpən)

1. (Arms & Armour (excluding Firearms)) an object or instrument used in fighting

2. (Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) an object or instrument used in fighting

3. anything that serves to outwit or get the better of an opponent: his power of speech was his best weapon.

4. (Zoology) any part of an animal that is used to defend itself, to attack prey, etc, such as claws, teeth, horns, or a sting

5. (Anatomy) a slang word for penis

[Old English wǣpen; related to Old Norse vápn, Old Frisian wēpen, Old High German wāffan]

ˈweaponed adj

ˈweaponless adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

weap•on

(ˈwɛp ən)

n.

1. any instrument or device used for attack or defense in a fight or in combat.

2. anything used against an opponent, adversary, or victim: the weapon of satire.

3. any part or organ serving for attack or defense, as claws, horns, teeth, or stings.

v.t.

4. to supply or equip with a weapon or weapons.

[before 900; Middle English wepen, Old English wǣpen, c. Old Saxon wāpan, Old High German wāf(f)an, Old Norse vāpn, Gothic wepna (pl.)]

weap′oned, adj.

weap′on•less, adj.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	weapon - any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting; "he was licensed to carry a weapon" weapon system, arm bow - a weapon for shooting arrows, composed of a curved piece of resilient wood with a taut cord to propel the arrow bow and arrow - a weapon consisting of arrows and the bow to shoot them brass knuckles, brass knucks, knuckle duster, knuckles, knucks - a small metal weapon; worn over the knuckles on the back of the hand fire ship - a weapon consisting of a ship carrying explosives that is set adrift to destroy enemy ships flamethrower - a weapon that squirts ignited fuel for several yards gun - a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel) instrument - a device that requires skill for proper use knife - a weapon with a handle and blade with a sharp point light arm - a rifle or pistol missile - a rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosives; may be ballistic or directed by remote control pike - medieval weapon consisting of a spearhead attached to a long pole or pikestaff; superseded by the bayonet projectile, missile - a weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a targets but is not self-propelled slasher - a weapon (a sword or dagger) used for slashing sling - a simple weapon consisting of a looped strap in which a projectile is whirled and then released lance, spear, shaft - a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon stun baton, stun gun - a weapon designed to disable a victim temporarily by delivering a nonlethal high-voltage electric shock sword, steel, blade, brand - a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard hatchet, tomahawk - weapon consisting of a fighting ax; used by North American Indians W.M.D., weapon of mass destruction, WMD - a weapon that kills or injures civilian as well as military personnel (nuclear and chemical and biological weapons) arms, implements of war, munition, weaponry, weapons system - weapons considered collectively Greek fire - a mixture used by Byzantine Greeks that was often shot at adversaries; catches fire when wetted
	2.	weapon - a means of persuading or arguing; "he used all his conversational weapons" artillery persuasion, suasion - the act of persuading (or attempting to persuade); communication intended to induce belief or action

weapon

Quotations
"The only arms I allow myself to use, silence, exile, and cunning" [James Joyce A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man]
"Our swords shall play the orators for us" [Christopher Marlowe Tamburlaine the Great]
"Weapons are like money; no one knows the meaning of enough" [Martin Amis Einstein's Monsters]

see bombs, guns, missiles, swords and other weapons with blades, types of club

Weapons

Projectile weapons ballista, bazooka, blowpipe, catapult, crossbow, fléchette, grapeshot, gun, longbow, onager, quarrel, rifle grenade, torpedo, trebuchet or trebucket

Miscellaneous weapons biological warfare, bomb, chemical warfare, club, death ray, flame-thrower, germ warfare or bacteriological warfare, Greek fire, knuckle-duster, Mace (trademark), mustard gas, napalm, poison gas

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

سِلاحسلاح

оръжие

zbraň

våben

Waffe Schusswaffe

όπλο

armilo

arma

relv

سلاح

ase

arme

נשק

हथियार

oružje

fegyver

vopn

arma

武器

무기

arma

ginklas

ierocisieroči

armă

orožje

vapen

silaha

อาวุธ

silahsilâh

vũ khí

武器

weapon

[ˈwepən]

A. N → arma f

B. CPD weapons of mass destruction NPL → armas fpl de destrucción masiva
weapons testing N → pruebas fpl con armas

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

weapon

[ˈwɛpən] n

(military) → arme f

(= resource) → arme f

weapon

n (lit, fig) → Waffe f; weapons of mass destruction → Massenvernichtungswaffen pl

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

weapon

[ˈwɛpən] n → arma

weapon

(ˈwepən) noun

any instrument or means which is used for one's own defence or for attacking others. Rifles, arrows, atom bombs and tanks are all weapons; The police are looking for the murder weapon; Surprise is our best weapon.

weapon

→ سِلاح zbraň våben Waffe όπλο arma ase arme oružje arma 武器 무기 wapen våpen broń arma оружие vapen อาวุธ silah vũ khí 武器

weapon

n arma; biologic — arma biológica; chemical — arma química

References in classic literature ?

It was evident that the new prisoner was himself as much a savage as his captors if apparel and weapons were any criterion by which to judge; yet it was also equally evident that he was a white man and from his well-shaped head and clean-cut features that he was not one of those unhappy halfwits who so often revert to savagery even in the heart of civilized communities.

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"I told you that in this case there were too many weapons and only one death.

View in context

His followers thronged round him; above his head the broad blades of their spears made a spiked halo of iron points, and they hedged him from humanity by the shimmer of silks, the gleam of weapons, the excited and respectful hum of eager voices.

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The changes and vicissitude in wars are many; but chiefly in three things; in the seats or stages of the war; in the weapons; and in the manner of the conduct.

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Then they overpowered him and took his weapons away; but only nine of the twelve warriors who had crossed the plaza returned with their prize.

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The next thing in order was the choice of weapons. My principal said he was not feeling well, and would leave that and the other details of the proposed meeting to me.

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He has the face of a Galu, but his weapons and the strange skins he wears upon his body are not of the Galus nor of Caspak.

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And in these disastrous times, when the ingenuity of man has multiplied the power of weapons of war, it was possible that, without the knowledge of others, a State might try to work such a formidable engine.

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Against the dark background of their olive skins their tusks stand out in a most striking manner, making these weapons present a singularly formidable appearance.

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When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped.

View in context

He shall fight with his own weapons; it was his privilege to choose them and bring them.

View in context

Every day they exercised themselves in the use of their weapons, so as to qualify themselves for military duty, and at night ensconced themselves in their fortress and posted sentinels, to guard against surprise.