Armory

[From Lat. armarium, a place for arms.] A repository for arms and instruments of war; and also a manufactory of arms. Armor or arms; warlike implements.-Armorial ensigns. Armour, n. See ARMOR. Ar'moy, a parish of Ireland, in the co. of Antrim. Arm'pit, n. The hollow place under the shoulder. Arms, n . pl . [Lat. pl . arm a ; Fr. pl. armes.] In its general sense, this name, rarely used in the singular (see ARM), is applied to weapons of offence or defence; but it is more usually given to weapons of offence. " Arms on armor clashing, brayed Horrible discord."- Milton . -War; hostility; warlike exploits. " Arms and the man I sing."-Dryden. ( Mil .) The offensive weapons may be divided into two principal cla es-those acting by explosion, and those that do not. The earliest offensive weapons (properly so called) were the club, and the bow and arrow. Afterward came into use the pike, lance, spear, dart, javelin, dagger, mace, battle-axe, chariot-scythe, dirk, bay onet, sword, . The balista, catapult a, and battering ram, may be said to have been the precursors of the modern artillery. The invention of gunpowder led to the introduction of a great variety of offensive weapons, to be acted on by its agency. As all these A. will be described under their own headings, we will here but cursorily allude to their names, viz.: the hand-cannon, hand-gun, arquebus or harquebus, dem i-haque, harquebut or hagbut, musket, wheel-lock, match-lock, caliver, carbine, escopette, fusil, blunderbu , dragon, firelock, rifle, . - See also ARMOR, ARMY, ARTILLERY, . To be in arms, to be in a state of hostility. - To arms! a summons to battle.- To be under arms, to be armed and ready for action.- Stand of arms , a complete set of arms for a single soldier, whether of infantry or cavalry; as rifle, bayonet, carbine, sabre, belts, cartridge-box, . ( Her .) See ARMORIAL. (Mech.) The two parts of a balance or other lever on opposite sides of the fulcrum. ( Law .) Anything that a man wears for his defence, or takes in his hands, or uses in his anger, to cast at or strike at another. ( Zool .) The natural weapons of beasts, as claws, teeth, beak, .