n. [ See Arms. ] (Mil.) (a) A branch of the military service; as, the cavalry arm was made efficient. (b) A weapon of offense or defense; an instrument of warfare; -- commonly in the pl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. arm, earm; akin to OHG. aram, G., D., Dan., & Sw. arm, Icel. armr, Goth. arms, L. armus arm, shoulder, and prob. to Gr. &unr_; joining, joint, shoulder, fr. the root &unr_; to join, to fit together; cf. Slav. rame. &unr_;. See Art, Article. ] 1. The limb of the human body which extends from the shoulder to the hand; also, the corresponding limb of a monkey. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Anything resembling an arm; as, (a) The fore limb of an animal, as of a bear. (b) A limb, or locomotive or prehensile organ, of an invertebrate animal. (c) A branch of a tree. (d) A slender part of an instrument or machine, projecting from a trunk, axis, or fulcrum; as, the arm of a steelyard. (e) (Naut) The end of a yard; also, the part of an anchor which ends in the fluke. (f) An inlet of water from the sea. (g) A support for the elbow, at the side of a chair, the end of a sofa, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Fig.: Power; might; strength; support; as, the secular arm; the arm of the law. [ 1913 Webster ]

To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Isa. lii. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arm's end, the end of the arm; a good distance off. Dryden. --
Arm's length, the length of the arm. --
Arm's reach, reach of the arm; the distance the arm can reach. --
To go (or
walk)
arm in arm, to go with the arm or hand of one linked in the arm of another. “When arm in armwe went along.” Tennyson. --
To keep at arm's length, to keep at a distance (literally or figuratively); not to allow to come into close contact or familiar intercourse. --
To work at arm's length, to work disadvantageously. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To provide one's self with arms, weapons, or means of attack or resistance; to take arms. “ 'Tis time to arm.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Armed p. pr. & vb. n. Arming. ] [ OE. armen, F. armer, fr. L. armare, fr. arma, pl., arms. See arms. ] 1. To take by the arm; to take up in one's arms. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

And make him with our pikes and partisans
A grave: come, arm him. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arm your prize;
I know you will not lose him. Two N. Kins. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To furnish with arms or limbs. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

His shoulders broad and strong,
Armed long and round. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To furnish or equip with weapons of offense or defense; as, to arm soldiers; to arm the country. [ 1913 Webster ]

Abram . . . armed his trained servants. Gen. xiv. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To cover or furnish with a plate, or with whatever will add strength, force, security, or efficiency; as, to arm the hit of a sword; to arm a hook in angling. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Fig.: To furnish with means of defense; to prepare for resistance; to fortify, in a moral sense. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arm yourselves . . . with the same mind. 1 Pet. iv. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

To arm a magnet, to fit it with an armature. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Sp. armada, L. as if armata (sc. classic fleet), fr. armatus, p. p. of armare. See Arm, v. t. Army. ] A fleet of armed ships; a squadron. Specifically, the Spanish fleet which was sent to assail England, a. d. 1558. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a family comrising the pill bugs.
Syn. -- family Armadillidiidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. 1 the type genus of the Armadillidiidae.
Syn. -- genus Armadillidium. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Armadillos [ Sp. armadillo, dim. of armado armed, p. p. of armar to arm. So called from being armed with a bony shell. ] (Zool.) (a) Any edentate animal if the family Dasypidæ, peculiar to America. The body and head are incased in an armor composed of small bony plates. The armadillos burrow in the earth, seldom going abroad except at night. When attacked, they curl up into a ball, presenting the armor on all sides. Their flesh is good food. There are several species, one of which (the peba) is found as far north as Texas. See Peba, Poyou, Tatouay. (b) A genus of small isopod Crustacea that can roll themselves into a ball. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Armada. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the final, decisive battle between the forces of good and evil, as foretold in the Apocolypse of Saint John. Also, the site of that battle. Used metaphorically for a vast and decisive conflict, attended by cataclysmic destruction. [ PJC ]