armed

¹

[ ahrmd ]

adjective

1. having a specified number or kind of arms (often used in combination): a weak-armed quarterback.

   a four-armed Hindu god;

   a weak-armed quarterback.

armed

²

[ ahrmd ]

adjective

1. bearing firearms; having weapons:

   a heavily armed patrol.

2. maintained by arms:

   armed peace.

3. involving the use of weapons:

   armed conflict.

4. equipped:

   The students came armed with their pocket calculators.

5. (especially of an animal) covered protectively, as by a shell.
6. fortified; made secure:

   Armed by an inveterate optimism, he withstood despair.

7. (of an artillery shell, bomb, missile, etc.) having the fuze made operative.

armed

¹

/ ɑːmd /

adjective

1. equipped with or supported by arms, armour, etc
2. prepared for conflict or any difficulty
3. (of an explosive device) prepared for use; having a fuse or detonator installed
4. (of plants) having the protection of thorns, spines, etc

armed

²

/ ɑːmd /

adjective

1. 1. having an arm or arms
   2. ( in combination )

      long-armed

      one-armed

Other Word Forms

• half-armed adjective
• well-armed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of armed¹

First recorded in 1500–10; arm ¹( def ) + -ed ³( def )

Origin of armed²

First recorded in 1250–1300; arm ², + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

An American pastor who was kidnapped by armed men during a church service in South Africa last week has been rescued following a "high-intensity shoot-out" that left three people dead, authorities say.

From BBC

Sudan's paramilitaries have declared the formation of a rival government to the country's armed forces, two years into a war that has become the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

From BBC

Discrediting the armed forces and intentionally spreading fake news about the military became a crime in Russia within weeks of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

From BBC

Hamas is said to have rejected an Israeli proposal for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza which called for the armed group to give up its weapons.

From BBC

Some survivors told the BBC they were robbed by armed gangs as they fled, and that they had to make the heart-breaking decision to leave injured people behind because they could not carry them.

From BBC

Related Words

• equipped
• loaded
• outfitted
• supplied