Armillary

[Lat. armilla, a bracelet.] Consisting of rings or circles. Armillary Sphere. (Astron.) An instrument which represents the great circles of the celestial sphere, tho equator, ecliptic, tropics, equinoctial colure, . It is constructed of metal rings, representing these circles, fastened together in their relative positions, and movable on an axis pa ing through the poles; it is furnished with an horizon and meridian similar to those attached to the terrestrial, and the celestial globes. It was formerly much used by the early astronomers. It is now only used as an aid to instruction in astronomy, and is in this respect generally superseded by the celestial globe. Ar'millated, a . Having bracelets. Arm'ing, n. The act of taking arms. ( Naut ) A piece of tallow put in the cavity at the bottom of a lead, to bring up, in sounding, samples of the ground at the bottom of the sea. Ar'mington, in Illinois, a post-village of Tazewell co., 45 m. N.N.E. of Springfield.