Disarm

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /dɪsˈɑː(ɹ)m/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(r)m

Origin

From Middle English desarmen ("to divest of arms"), from Anglo-Norman desarmer

Full definition of disarm

Verb

1. (transitive) To deprive of arms; to take away the weapons of; to deprive of the means of attack or defense; to render defenseless.
2. (transitive) To deprive of the means or the disposition to harm; to render harmless or innocuous; as, to disarm a man's wrath.
• 21 January 2014, Hermione Hoby, Julia Roberts interview for August: Osage County – 'I might actually go to hell for this ...': Julia Roberts reveals why her violent, Oscar-nominated performance in August: Osage County made her feel 'like a terrible person' [print version: 'I might actually go to hell for this ...' (18 January 2014, p. R4)], Foremost in her arsenal is that smile â€“ so enormous and so absurdly disarming that someone should have worked out a way to harness its power into international conflict resolution.
3. (intransitive) To lay down arms; to stand down.
4. (intransitive) To reduce one's own military forces.