armshouse en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈɑːmzhaʊs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈɑɹmzhaʊs/ (General-American)
Etymology
Possibly arms + house (“a house in which firearms are stored or can be found”).
Meanings
-
(Multicultural-London-English, uncountable) Bloodshed, violence.
Coz if you don't take care of this then believe me, they'll^([sic – meaning there'll]) be armshouse!
2015 August 31, Oscar Phoenix, This Hostage to Fortune, [Raleigh, N.C.]: Lulu Publishing Services, →ISBN:You don't wanna bring armshouse / I'll bring armshouse to your mum's house / You don't wanna bring no beef / Bring some beef you'll lose some teeth
2004 October 25, Lethal Bizzle et al., “Pow! (Forward)”, performed by Demon:Grime events have a reputation for trouble. The music builds up tention but offers little scope for release—a recipe for fights on the dance floor. […] At one point during the Stratford Circus performance, the host, Peaches, comes on to report the disappearance of a cell phone, then delivers an impromptu lecture. "Stop thiefin'! Stop the armshouse!" she berates ("armshouse" being grime slang for violence). "They're locking off grime raves, dancehall basements—where you gonna go? Country & western nights?!"
2005 August, Simon Reynolds, “A Life of Grime”, in Sia Michel, editor, Spin, New York, N.Y.: Spin Magazine, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 86: