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armed

1 American  
[ahrmd] / ɑrmd /

adjective

  1. having a specified number or kind of arms (often used in combination): a weak-armed quarterback.

    a four-armed Hindu god;

    a weak-armed quarterback.
armed 2 American  
[ahrmd] / ɑrmd /

adjective

  1. bearing firearms; having weapons.

    a heavily armed patrol.

  2. maintained by arms.

    armed peace.

  3. involving the use of weapons.

    armed conflict.

  4. equipped.

    The students came armed with their pocket calculators.

  5. (especially of an animal) covered protectively, as by a shell.

  6. fortified; made secure.

    Armed by an inveterate optimism, he withstood despair.

  7. (of an artillery shell, bomb, missile, etc.) having the fuze made operative.

armed 1 British  
/ ɑːmd /

adjective

  1. equipped with or supported by arms, armour, etc

  2. prepared for conflict or any difficulty

  3. (of an explosive device) prepared for use; having a fuse or detonator installed

  4. (of plants) having the protection of thorns, spines, etc

"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
armed 2 British  
/ ɑːmd /

adjective

    1. having an arm or arms

    2. ( in combination )

      long-armed

      one-armed
"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

Other Word Forms

  • half-armed adjective
  • well-armed adjective

Etymology

Origin of armed1

First recorded in 1500–10; arm 1 ( def. ) + -ed 3 ( def. )

Origin of armed2

First recorded in 1250–1300; arm 2, + -ed 2 ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Naturally, crude-oil prices are rising in response to this armed conflict.

From MarketWatch

The development of more potent submarines would boost Beijing’s bid to forge a world-class oceangoing navy, a key element in Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s ambitious campaign to modernize the armed forces.

From The Wall Street Journal

Numerous armed groups have since competed for power and control of a potential fortune.

From BBC

Crude futures rose as the armed conflict in the Middle East prompted shippers to avoid transit through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, but settled well off earlier highs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Airlines have long had to navigate sporadic flare-ups of armed conflict and missile strikes across Middle East skies.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.