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Formerly, an armor bearer, as of a knight, an esquire who bore his shield and rendered other services. In later use, one next in degree to a knight, and entitled to armorial bearings. The term is now superseded by esquire. Jacob.

Bearing arms. [R.] They belonged to the armigerous part of the population, and were entitled to write themselves Esquire. De Quincey.

A bracelet. [Obs.]

An armil.

Pertaining to, or resembling, a bracelet or ring; consisting of rings or circles. Armillary sphere, an ancient astronomical machine composed of an assemblage of rings, all circles of the same sphere, designed to represent the positions of the important circles of the celestial sphere. Nichol.

The act of furnishing with, or taking, arms. The arming was now universal. Macaulay.

Of or pertaining to Arminius of his followers, or to their doctrines. See note under Arminian, n.

The religious doctrines or tenets of the Arminians.

Power in arms. [R.] Johnson.

Powerful in arms; mighty in battle. The temple stood of Mars armipotent. Dryden.

Rustling in arms; resounding with arms. [Obs.]

A cessation of arms for a short time, by convention; a temporary suspension of hostilities by agreement; a truce.

Without any arm or branch.

A small arm; as, an armlet of the sea. Johnson.

Ammoniac. [Obs.]

Defensive arms for the body; any clothing or covering worn to protect one's person in battle.

One who carries the armor or arms of another; an armiger. Judg. ix. 54.

Covered with defensive plates of metal, as a ship of war; steel-clad. This day will be launched . . . the first armor-plated steam frigate in the possession of Great Britain. Times (Dec. 29, 1860).

Clad with armor.

A man-of-war carrying a large coal supply, and more or less protected from the enemy's shot by iron or steel armor. There is no distinct and accepted classification distinguishing armored and protected cruisers from each other, except that the first have more or heavier armor than the second.