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n. 1. A weapon, especially a firearm: troops bearing arms; ICBMs, bombs, and other nuclear arms. 2. A branch of a military force: infantry, armor, and other combat arms. 3. arms a. Warfare: a call to arms against the invaders. b. Military service: several million volunteers under arms; the profession of arms. 4. arms a. Heraldry Bearings. b. Insignia, as of a state, an official, a family, or an organization. v. armed, arm·ing, arms v.intr. 1. To supply or equip oneself with weaponry. 2. To prepare oneself for warfare or conflict. v.tr. Idiom: 1. To equip with weapons: armed themselves with loaded pistols; arm a missile with a warhead; arm a nation for war. 2. To equip with what is needed for effective action: tax advisers who were armed with the latest forms. 3. To provide with something that strengthens or protects: a space reentry vehicle that was armed with a ceramic shield. 4. To prepare (a weapon or electronic system, such as an alarm) for use or operation, as by releasing a safety device. up in arms Extremely upset; indignant. [From Middle English armes, weapons, from Old French, pl. of arme, weapon, from Latin arma, weapons; see ar- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots. Verb, Middle English armen, from Old French armer, from Latin armāre, from arma.] armed (ärmd) adj. armer n. |
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