Meaning & use
cross your arms
Last updated
UK/ˌkrɒs jɔːr ˈɑːmz/
US/ˌkrɔːs jʊr ˈɑːrmz/
Meaning
phraseidiom
To fold one arm over the other in front of your chest.
Grammar: Used as an intransitive verb phrase; the subject is usually a person: She crossed her arms and waited.
Patterns
- cross your arms
- cross your arms over your chest
- cross your arms and do something
He crossed his arms and listened to the teacher.
She crossed her arms to stay warm in the cold room.
When people cross their arms, they may look defensive or angry.
Common combinations
- cross your arms over your chest
- He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for the answer.
- cross your arms tightly
- She crossed her arms tightly and frowned.
- sit with your arms crossed
- He sat with his arms crossed during the whole meeting.
- stand with your arms crossed
- The guard stood with his arms crossed by the door.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fold your arms
- A very similar phrase meaning to cross your arms; 'fold' is slightly more formal and often used in writing.
Opposites
uncross your armsopen your arms
Practice
What does it usually mean when someone crosses their arms?
Choose one answer.
'Cross your arms' means to fold one arm over the other in front of your chest. The other options describe different actions that do not involve crossing the arms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cross your arms”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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