armful

Definition

The amount an arm or arms can hold.

Etymology

From arm + -ful (suffix forming nouns indicating as much as can be held by the noun to which it is attached).

Example Sentences

• "[T]ake three or four good arms full of muckle Straw, Hay, or Fern, not too wet, not to dry, and obſerving which ſide of the Orchard the Wind blows on, then laying a good armful of muckle in three or four places according to the bigneſs of your Orchard, then get ſome dry ſticks, and having kindled them put an armful of muckle upon the Fire, and it will ſmoak and ſmoother, and the wind will drive the ſmoak through the whole Orchard, continue it till the wind turn out of the Eaſterly quarter, and it will preſerve the Trees and Fruit from blites and all manner of flys and caterpillers, which thoſe ſorts of bliting winds uſually bring; [...]"
• "Upon this, by Conſent, the Doctors put a Good Armful of Warm Womans Fleſh into the Bed to him, [...]"
• "[T]hough Pyrocles and Muſidorus at other times would diſpence with the length of the ſports, yet now, in reſpect of the armfuls of joys they were to expect in bed, they thought them tedious; [...]"