take up arms

verb

To prepare to fight; to arm oneself.

Similar
go to wartake arms
Opposite
lay down one's arms
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Meanings

verbtake up arms (third-person singular simple present takes up arms, present participle taking up arms, simple past took up arms, past participle taken up arms)

present singular third person takes up arms · participle present taking up arms · past took up arms · participle past taken up arms

  1. intransitiveTo prepare to fight; to arm oneself.

    Antonyms: lay down one's arms

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo prepare to fight; to arm oneself.

Opposite
lay down one's arms

More synonyms by meaning

verbcommence hostilities

Similar
go to wartake arms
Broader
war
Also see
go to war

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Finnish tarttua aseisiin
  • tarttua aseisiinTranslations
French prendre les armes
  • prendre les armesTranslations
Māori hāpai pū
  • hāpai pūTranslations
Russian бра́ться за ору́жие, взя́ться за ору́жие
  • бра́ться за ору́жие (brátʹsja za orúžije)Translations
  • взя́ться за ору́жие (vzjátʹsja za orúžije)Translations
Turkish silahlanmak
  • silahlanmakTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“take up arms.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20up%20arms. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

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

Source: take up arms on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.