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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Arm, Airm, n. Also: arme (harme), areme, airme. [ME. arm, ONhb. arm, earm, WS. earm.]

1. An arm of the body.(a) [1358 Rotuli Sc. 828/2. ]
Willelmo Armestrang de Scotia. 1375 Barb. xviii. 127 (be the armys led wes he). a1400 Leg. S. xxii. 677 (he fand his harme sa sare); xxxiii. 171 (the kyng hir in armys hynt). c1420 Wynt. i. 814 (thai on thare cors has armys twai); v. 4196 (he gert stryk off that hand fra the arme off hys body). c1475 Wall. i. 415 (ane othir on the arme he hitt). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 101 (than think I Mahoune hes me in armes). 1513 Doug. ii. x. 99 (I schot my left arme in my scheild). 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. 367 (for mending and polesing of Sanct Gelis arme). a1578 Pitsc. I. 393/6 (he cuttit of his right arme).(b) 1562-3 Winȝet I. 84/4 (except thai bring thair bairnis in thair awin airmis). a1578 Pitsc. II. 246/33 (hir airme was put one the cockstuill).

2. An arm of the sea.1375 Barb. xiv. 371 (the Bane, that is ane arme of se). c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1800 (throw-out a gret arme of the se). c1420 Wynt. iv. 1761 (lyand beyhond an arme off se).

3. A bar, beam, etc., resembling an arm. 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. 294.
Ane greit lang chenȝe of irne … with foure armes gangand fra it 1586 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 263.
To mak the armis with the handis to boithe the orlages 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I. 243 b.
Aik treis … to be armes to the mylne whelis 1644 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 53.
For … ane Inner wheill with airmes thairto

4. Attrib. in arm-saw, -splent. 1495 Treas. Acc. I. 269.
For leg splentis and arme splentis 1573 Edinb. Test. 291 b.
Ane arme saw, ane bow saw, & ane heid saw 1582 Ib. XI. 211 b.
Ane hand saw, ane bow saw, ane arme saw 1628 M. Works Acc. XXIII. 3.
For ane arme saw to the sawer