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arms wide open

English translation: generous hospitality, and embracing welcome

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:arms wide open
Selected answer:generous hospitality, and embracing welcome
Entered by: Fuad Yahya

17:57 Mar 28, 2003
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
English term or phrase: arms wide open
Is there any significant difference btw "arms wide open" and "arms open wide"?

Which on do you perceive as more "English" or simply you think is more used?

Thanks!
Drem
Local time: 03:07
arms wide open
Explanation:
. . . usually in the expression "with arms wide open," in the sense of generous hospitality.

I have heard the other expression used when the intent is literal, as when giving instructions to someone, as in "open your arms wide."


Fuad
Selected response from:

Fuad Yahya
Grading comment
thanks!!!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +9arms wide open
Fuad Yahya
5with open arms
Belinda Adams
4pretty much interchangeable
jerrie


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +9
arms wide open


Explanation:
. . . usually in the expression "with arms wide open," in the sense of generous hospitality.

I have heard the other expression used when the intent is literal, as when giving instructions to someone, as in "open your arms wide."


Fuad

Fuad Yahya
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 23
Grading comment
thanks!!!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ino66 (X): undoubtedly!
1 min
agree  Klaus Dorn (X): remember the film "eyes wide shut"?
1 min
  -> Thank you for reminding me. I have been planning to see this film, but have not yet. Maybe this weekend.
agree  Georgios Paraskevopoulos
20 mins
agree  Will Matter
2 hrs
agree  Andrea Wright
3 hrs
agree  Irene S.
3 hrs
agree  Refugio
5 hrs
agree  pcovs
12 hrs
agree  #41698 (LSF): 'with arms(A) elevated(B)', so B is adjective. 'open' here is an adj. Then, how open? -> wide open. I think this is the pattern.
17 hrs
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
with open arms


Explanation:
If you want to use it to mean a friendly welcome, I would use "with open arms"

Belinda Adams
Local time: 03:07
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
pretty much interchangeable


Explanation:
If someone is coming towards you it could be with:

arms open wide
wide open arms
In this case I prefer arms open wide

If someone is welcoming you:

with wide open arms
with arms open wide
In this case I prefer 'wide open arms'

You could embrace the world with:

wide open arms
arms open wide

Google UK gives 'arms wide open' more hits as an expression than 'arms open wide'.

hth

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:07
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20
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