armed

[ahrmd]

See more synonyms for armed on Thesaurus.com

adjective

bearing firearms; having weapons: a heavily armed patrol.
maintained by arms: armed peace.
involving the use of weapons: armed conflict.

equipped: The students came armed with their pocket calculators.
(especially of an animal) covered protectively, as by a shell.
fortified; made secure: Armed by an inveterate optimism, he withstood despair.
(of an artillery shell, bomb, missile, etc.) having the fuze made operative.

Origin of armed

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at arm², -ed²

Related formshalf-armed, adjectivewell-armed, adjective

arm²

[ahrm]

noun

Usually arms. weapons, especially firearms.
arms, Heraldry. the escutcheon, with its divisions, charges, and tinctures, and the other components forming an achievement that symbolizes and is reserved for a person, family, or corporate body; armorial bearings; coat of arms.

verb (used without object)

to enter into a state of hostility or of readiness for war.

verb (used with object)

to equip with weapons: to arm the troops.
to activate (a fuze) so that it will explode the charge at the time desired.
to cover protectively.
to provide with whatever will add strength, force, or security; support; fortify: He was armed with statistics and facts.
to equip or prepare for any specific purpose or effective use: to arm a security system; to arm oneself with persuasive arguments.
to prepare for action; make fit; ready.

Idioms

bear arms,
1. to carry weapons.
2. to serve as a member of the military or of contending forces: His religious convictions kept him from bearing arms, but he served as an ambulance driver with the Red Cross.
take up arms, to prepare for war; go to war: to take up arms against the enemy.
under arms, ready for battle; trained and equipped: The number of men under arms is no longer the decisive factor in warfare.
up in arms, ready to take action; indignant; outraged: There is no need to get up in arms over such a trifle.

Origin of arm²

1200–50 for v.; 1300–50 for noun; (v.) Middle English armen < Anglo-French, Old French armer < Latin armāre to arm, verbal derivative of arma (plural) tools, weapons (not akin to arm¹); (noun) Middle English armes (plural) ≪ Latin arma, as above

Related formsarm·less, adjective

Synonyms

See more synonyms for arm on Thesaurus.com

8. outfit.

Antonyms

5. deactivate, disarm.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for armed

Contemporary Examples

They are, to say the least, preparing for civil war (the polling stations are stormed by armed gangs).
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President
Pierre Assouline
January 9, 2015
Most travelers return home from trips revitalized and armed with new goals.
Biking With the Bard
Kara Cutruzzula
December 28, 2014
Major General Jean Kahwaji of the Lebanese armed forces recently declared an “open-ended war” with the militants.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda
Ruth Michaelson
December 26, 2014
In their midst stands a soldier with the Lebanese armed forces in a red beret, sporting an assault rifle and an unblinking stare.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda
Ruth Michaelson
December 26, 2014
But the police nevertheless declared Stone to be “armed and dangerous,” despite getting around with a cane.
Hunt for Iraq Vet After Killing Spree
M.L. Nestel
December 16, 2014

Historical Examples

The legions which she sends forth are armed, not with the sword, but with the cross.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various
They were armed with rifles, and their horses were in good condition.
The Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, Oregon and California
Brevet Col. J.C. Fremont
Two guards, armed to the teeth, would be in it, and the door was closed.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand
They were all mounted, armed with rifles, and used their rifles well.
The Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, Oregon and California
Brevet Col. J.C. Fremont
I knew how useless it was, and I remembered that he himself had armed me for my protection.
The Bacillus of Beauty
Harriet Stark

British Dictionary definitions for armed

armed¹

adjective

equipped with or supported by arms, armour, etc
prepared for conflict or any difficulty
(of an explosive device) prepared for use; having a fuse or detonator installed
(of plants) having the protection of thorns, spines, etc

armed²

adjective

1. having an arm or arms
2. (in combination)long-armed; one-armed

arm¹

noun

(in man) either of the upper limbs from the shoulder to the wristRelated adjective: brachial
the part of either of the upper limbs from the elbow to the wrist; forearm
1. the corresponding limb of any other vertebrate
2. an armlike appendage of some invertebrates
an object that covers or supports the human arm, esp the sleeve of a garment or the side of a chair, sofa, etc
anything considered to resemble an arm in appearance, position, or function, esp something that branches out from a central support or larger massan arm of the sea; the arm of a record player
an administrative subdivision of an organizationan arm of the government
power; authoritythe arm of the law
any of the specialist combatant sections of a military force, such as cavalry, infantry, etc
nautical See yardarm
sport, esp ball games ability to throw or pitchhe has a good arm
an arm and a leg informal a large amount of money
arm in arm with arms linked
at arm's length at a distance; away from familiarity with or subjection to another
give one's right arm informal to be prepared to make any sacrifice
in the arms of Morpheus sleeping
with open arms with great warmth and hospitalityto welcome someone with open arms

verb

(tr) archaic to walk arm in arm with

Derived Formsarmless, adjectivearmlike, adjective

Word Origin

Old English; related to German Arm, Old Norse armr arm, Latin armus shoulder, Greek harmos joint

arm²

verb (tr)

to equip with weapons as a preparation for war
to provide (a person or thing) with something that strengthens, protects, or increases efficiencyhe armed himself against the cold
1. to activate (a fuse) so that it will explode at the required time
2. to prepare (an explosive device) for use by introducing a fuse or detonator
nautical to pack arming into (a sounding lead)

noun

(usually plural) a weapon, esp a firearm

Word Origin

C14: (n) back formation from arms, from Old French armes, from Latin arma; (vb) from Old French armer to equip with arms, from Latin armāre, from arma arms, equipment

ARM

abbreviation for

adjustable rate mortgage

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for armed

adj.

"equipped for battle," early 13c., past participle adjective from arm (v.).

arm

n.1

"upper limb," Old English earm "arm," from Proto-Germanic *armaz (cf. Old Saxon, Danish, Swedish, Middle Dutch, German arm, Old Norse armr, Old Frisian erm), from PIE root *ar- "fit, join" (cf. Sanskrit irmah "arm," Armenian armukn "elbow," Old Prussian irmo "arm," Greek arthron "a joint," Latin armus "shoulder"). Arm of the sea was in Old English. Arm-twister "powerful persuader" is from 1938. Arm-wrestling is from 1899.

They wenten arme in arme yfere Into the gardyn [Chaucer]

arm

n.2

"weapon," c.1300, armes (plural) "weapons of a warrior," from Old French armes (plural), "arms, war, warfare," mid-13c., from Latin arma "weapons" (including armor), literally "tools, implements (of war)," from PIE root *ar- "fit, join" (see arm (n.1)). The notion seems to be "that which is fitted together." Meaning "heraldic insignia" (in coat of arms, etc.) is early 14c.; originally they were borne on shields of fully armed knights or barons.

arm

v.

"to furnish with weapons," c.1200, from Old French armer or directly from Latin armare, from arma (see arm (n.2)). Related: Armed; arming.

armed in Medicine

arm

(ärm)

An upper limb of the human body, connecting the hand and wrist to the shoulder.

Idioms and Phrases with armed

arm

In addition to the idioms beginning with arm

also see:

armed

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Origin of arm2

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples from the Web for armed

Contemporary Examples

They are, to say the least, preparing for civil war (the polling stations are stormed by armed gangs).

Most travelers return home from trips revitalized and armed with new goals.

Major General Jean Kahwaji of the Lebanese armed forces recently declared an “open-ended war” with the militants.

In their midst stands a soldier with the Lebanese armed forces in a red beret, sporting an assault rifle and an unblinking stare.

But the police nevertheless declared Stone to be “armed and dangerous,” despite getting around with a cane.

Historical Examples

The legions which she sends forth are armed, not with the sword, but with the cross.

They were armed with rifles, and their horses were in good condition.

Two guards, armed to the teeth, would be in it, and the door was closed.

They were all mounted, armed with rifles, and used their rifles well.

I knew how useless it was, and I remembered that he himself had armed me for my protection.

armed1

armed2

arm1

Word Origin

arm2

Word Origin

ARM

Word Origin and History for armed

adj.

arm

n.1

arm

n.2

arm

v.

arm

Idioms and Phrases with armed

arm

Origin of armed

arm²

Origin of arm²

armed¹

armed²

arm¹

arm²