cross one's arms

verb

To link one's arms together across one's chest.

“Crossing your arms during an argument will most likely be interpreted as a sign of anger or defensiveness.”

Similar
fold one's arms
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Meanings

verbcross one's arms (third-person singular simple present crosses one's arms, present participle crossing one's arms, simple past and past participle crossed one's arms)

present singular third person crosses one's arms · participle present crossing one's arms · participle past crossed one's arms · past crossed one's arms

  1. intransitiveTo link one's arms together across one's chest.

    Crossing your arms during an argument will most likely be interpreted as a sign of anger or defensiveness.

    Synonyms: fold one's arms

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo link one's arms together across one's chest.

Similar
fold one's arms
Also see
fold one's arms

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 交叉双臂
  • 交叉双臂 (jiāochā shuāngbì)link one's arms together across one's chest
Finnish ristiä käsivartensa, laittaa kädet puuhkaan
  • ristiä käsivartensalink one's arms together across one's chest
  • laittaa kädet puuhkaanlink one's arms together across one's chest
French se croiser les bras
  • se croiser les braslink one's arms together across one's chest
German die Arme verschränken
  • die Arme verschränkenlink one's arms together across one's chest
Greek σταυρώνω τα χέρια
  • σταυρώνω τα χέρια (stavróno ta chéria)link one's arms together across one's chest
Italian incrociare le braccia
  • incrociare le braccialink one's arms together across one's chest
Russian скрести́ть ру́ки
  • скрести́ть ру́ки (skrestítʹ rúki)link one's arms together across one's chest
Ukrainian схре́щувати ру́ки, схрести́ти ру́ки
  • схре́щувати ру́ки (sxréščuvaty rúky)link one's arms together across one's chest
  • схрести́ти ру́ки (sxrestýty rúky)link one's arms together across one's chest
Cite this entry
APA

cross one's arms. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross%20one's%20arms

MLA

“cross one's arms.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross%20one's%20arms. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cross one's arms,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross%20one's%20arms.

Source: cross one's arms on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.