ARMS RACE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does arms race mean? 

• ARMS RACE (noun)
  The noun ARMS RACE has 1 sense:

1. a competition between nations to have the most powerful armaments

  Familiarity information: ARMS RACE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ARMS RACE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A competition between nations to have the most powerful armaments

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("arms race" is a kind of...):

race (any competition)

 Context examples 

In the escalating arms race, one particular type of bacteria known as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus – MRSA – has developed widespread resistance to this class of drugs.

(Widely-available antibiotics could be used in the treatment of ‘superbug’ MRSA, University of Cambridge)