arms (1)

pl. The plural of ARM (1) (q.v.). armş (2), s. pl. [In Gael. armachd (sing.) = armour, arms; Fr. armes, pl. of arme; Prov., Sp., & Port. arm as (pl.); Ital arme (sing.); from Lat. arm a (pl.) = implements, especially of war, notably a shield. Probably from root ar to fit or join.] [ART.] A. Ordinary Language: 1. Lit.: Weapons offensive or defensive. stacks."-Macaulay: Hist. Eng., chap. xv. hid their arms behind wainscots or in hayWar is so exciting, that when it breaks out it powerfully attracts the attention of the general public in every country; hence a number of phrases, at first purely military, now occur in ordinary English authors. [For these see B. 1.] 2. War, a state of hostility; the act of taking arms. [B.] B. Technically : I. Mil . In the same sense as A. 1. Military arms are of two kinds: arms of offence , or offensive arms, and arms of defence, or defensive arms . Under the first category are rifles, pistols, muskets, cannons, swords, bayonets, .; and under the latter, shields, helmets, cuira es, greaves, or any similar defence, for the person. Of offensive weapons, those in which flame is generated are called fire - arms . Arms of parade or courtesy: Those used in ancient tournaments. They were unshod lances; edgele and pointle swords, some of which, moreover, were of wood; and, finally, even canes. (James: Mil. Dict .) Bells of arms, or Bell-tents: Bell-formed tents, formerly for the reception of arms, now for men also, when an army is in the field. In arms : The state of having a umed weapons and commenced war or rebellion. "Rose up in arms , conquered, ruled."-Macaulay: Hist . Eng ., ch. iii. Pa of arms: A kind of combat in which, in med iæval times, one or more cavaliers undertook to defend a pa against all attacks. (James.) Pa age of arms: (a) Lit .: A combat in which the armed opponents exchange blows or thrusts with each other. (b) Fig .: A controversial encounter with the pen or some similar weapon. Place of arms ( Fort . ): A part of the covered way opposite to the re-entering angle of the counterscarp, projecting outward in an angie. ( James .) Small arms: Those which can be carried in the hand, as muskets, swords, ., in place of requiring wheel-carriages for their transportation. Stand of arms : A complete set of arms for one soldier, as a rifle and bayonet. To appeal to arms: To put a dispute to the arbitrament of war. "The House of Austria, indeed, had appealed to arms."-Macaulay: Hist. Eng . , chap. xxv. To arms: An exhortation or command to a ume weapons and commence rebellion or active warfare. "And seas, and rocks, and skies rebound, To arms, to arms, to arms!"- Pope . To take arms: To a ume weapons and commence war or rebellion. "Many lords and gent lenten, who had, in December, taken arms for the Prince of Orange and a free Parliament,..."-Macaulay: Hist . Eng . , chap. xi. Under arms: In the state of having one's weapons borne on one's person, or otherwise ready for immediate use. "The trainbands were ordered under arms."- Ma caulay: Hist. Eng . , chap. x. II. Law : Anything which one takes in his hand in anger to strike another with or throw at him. Pistols and swords are, of course, arms in the legal sense, but so also are stones and sticks. III. Heraldry. Armorial bearings: In the days when knights were so encased in armour that no means of identifying them was left, the practice was introduced of painting their 308 insignia of honour on their shield, as an easy method of distinguishing them. For a time these were granted only to individuals, but Richard I., during his crusade to Palestine, made them hereditary. The reason why they are called coats of arms is that they used to be introduced on the surcoat of their po e or, but the term once introduced was afterwards retained even when they were displayed elsewhere than on the coat. These are usually divided into (1) public , as those of kingdoms, provinces, bishoprics, corporate bodies, .; and (2) private , being those of private families. These again are separated into many subdivisions, founded mainly on the varied methods by which arms can be acquired. [AsSUMPTION, CANTING, DOMINION, FEUDAL, .] The College of Arms , or Heralds ' College , is situated in Queen Victoria Street, London. It has at present one Earl Marshal, three kings of arms, called respectively Garter, Clarencieux, and Norroy; six heralds, and four pursuivants, with a Secretary to the Earl Marshal and a Registrar. IV. Falconry : The legs of a hawk from the thigh to the foot. ( Webster .) V. Bot . The same as ARMATURE OF ARMOR (q.v.).