arson
The crime of deliberately starting a fire with intent to cause damage.
Noun obsolete
- A saddlebow.
- The kyng of Englande mounted on a freſhe courſer, the trapper of clothe of golde, of Tiſſue, the Arſon mantell wiſe[…] - 1550, Edward Halle, “The xij. yere of King Henry the viij.”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and...
- Arcione, the arſon or ſaddle bowe. - 1598, John Florio, “Arcione”, in A Worlde of Words, or Most Copious, and Exact Dictionarie in Italian and English, […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield for Edw[ard] Blount, →OCLC, page...
- […]And putting vp good ſtore of gold and Iewels for that iourney, and taking with him a good horſe, that was browne Bay, with a Petronell hanging at the arſon of his Saddle[…] - 1634, Matheo Aleman, “Wherein Guzman de...
Origin
From Middle English arsoun, from Old French arçon, from Vulgar Latin *arciō (“saddlebow”), from Latin arcus (“bow”); compare Italian arcione, Portuguese arção, and Spanish arzón.
Forms
Noun Entry 2
- The crime of deliberately starting a fire with intent to cause damage.
- carry out an arson attack
- Arson, like we thought. three punks doused a car, lit it, and took off. - 2006, Paul Chadwick, Concrete: Killer Smile, Part two, p.34:
Origin
From Anglo-Norman and Old French arson, from the verb ardoir, from Latin ardeō (“to burn”). Compare ardent.
Forms
Related
Derived
antiarson arson dog arsonical arsonism arsonist arsonite arsonous arsonphobia arsonry climate arson
Verb
- To illegally set fire to; to burn down in a criminal manner.