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What does weapon mean?

Definitions for weapon
ˈwɛp ənweapon

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word weapon.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. weapon, arm, weapon systemnoun

    any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting

    "he was licensed to carry a weapon"

  2. weapon, artillerynoun

    a means of persuading or arguing

    "he used all his conversational weapons"

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. WEAPONnoun

    Instrument of offence; something with which one is armed to hurt another.

    Etymology: weapon , Saxon.

    The giant
    Down let fall his arm, and soft withdrew
    His weapon huge, that heaved was on high,
    For to have slain the man that on the ground did ly. Fa. Q.

    The cry of Talbot serves me for a sword;
    For I have loaden me with many spoils,
    Using no other weapon but his name. William Shakespeare, Henry VI.

    Take this weapon
    Which I have here recover’d from the Moor. William Shakespeare, Othello.

    Touch me with noble anger;
    O let not womens weapons, water drops,
    Stain my man’s cheeks. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

    His foes, who came to bring him death,
    Bring him a weapon that before had none. Daniel.

    With his full force he whirl’d it first around,
    Imperial Juno turn’d the course before;
    And fix’d the wand’ring weapon in the door. John Dryden, Æn.

Wikipedia

  1. Weapon

    A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, self-defense, warfare, or suicide. In broader context, weapons may be construed to include anything used to gain a tactical, strategic, material or mental advantage over an adversary or enemy target. While ordinary objects – sticks, rocks, bottles, chairs, vehicles – can be used as weapons, many objects are expressly designed for the purpose; these range from simple implements such as clubs, axes and swords, to complicated modern firearms, tanks, intercontinental ballistic missiles, biological weapons, and cyberweapons. Something that has been re-purposed, converted, or enhanced to become a weapon of war is termed weaponized, such as a weaponized virus or weaponized laser.

ChatGPT

  1. weapon

    A weapon is any device or instrument used with the intent to cause harm, damage, or death, typically by inflicting physical force. This can include, but is not limited to, tools such as guns, knives, bombs, or other forms of armament. Weapons can also extend to biological, chemical, or nuclear means. They can be used for self-defense, crime, military combat, or hunting.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Weaponnoun

    an instrument of offensive of defensive combat; something to fight with; anything used, or designed to be used, in destroying, defeating, or injuring an enemy, as a gun, a sword, etc

  2. Weaponnoun

    fig.: The means or instrument with which one contends against another; as, argument was his only weapon

  3. Weaponnoun

    a thorn, prickle, or sting with which many plants are furnished

  4. Etymology: [OE. wepen, AS. wpen; akin to OS. wpan, OFries. wpin, wpen, D. wapen, G. waffe, OHG. waffan, wfan, Icel. vpn, Dan. vaaben, Sw. vapen, Goth. wpna, pl.; of uncertain origin. Cf. Wapentake.]

Wikidata

  1. Weapon

    A weapon, arm, or armament is any device used in order to inflict damage or harm to living beings, structures, or systems. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, self-defense, and warfare. In a broader context, weapons may be construed to include anything used to gain a strategic, material or mental advantage over an adversary. While ordinary objects such as sticks, stones, cars, or pencils can be used as weapons, many are expressly designed for the purpose – ranging from simple implements such as clubs to swords and guns and on to complicated modern intercontinental ballistic missiles, biological and cyberweapons.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Weapon

    wep′un, n. any instrument or organ of offence or defence.—adjs. Weap′oned; Weap′onless, having no weapons.—n. Weap′on-salve, a salve supposed to cure a wound by being applied to the weapon that made it. [A.S. wǽpen; Goth. wepna, arms, Ger. waffen and wappen.]

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer

  1. weapon

    An instrument of offensive or defensive combat; something to fight with; anything used, or designed to be used, in destroying or annoying an enemy.

Suggested Resources

  1. weapon

    Song lyrics by weapon -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by weapon on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'weapon' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4557

  2. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'weapon' in Nouns Frequency: #777

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce weapon?

How to say weapon in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of weapon in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of weapon in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of weapon in a Sentence

  1. Debra Johnson:

    It appeared that he punched the subject because he had a weapon in his hand at the time, is that force justified?

  2. Paramedic Kenneth Phillips:

    We received a report from the first responder that officer Kerrick had been assaulted, i didn't ask him if he was assaulted with a fist or with a weapon or anything like that. I think that our attention was drawn to him just to make sure that he did not have a life-threatening emergency at the time.

  3. Rick Perry:

    We are the number one oil and gas producer in the world, we don't intend to use it as a weapon. We intend to make it available and in as many places and as competitively priced as we can.

  4. Justin Trudeau:

    Thoughts and prayers arent going to cut it, we know you do not need a military-grade assault weapon, one designed to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time, to take down a deer.

  5. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal:

    Secretary Clinton should be a voice of reason and oppose this deal, while Secretary Clinton has been the architect of President Obama’s foreign policy, she can do the right thing and prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and oppose this deal.

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Popularity rank by frequency of use

weapon#1#6301#10000

References

Translations for weapon

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"weapon." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 21 Jan. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/weapon>.

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