I. ˈärmər, ˈȧmə(r noun
( -s )
Usage: see -or
Etymology: Middle English armour, alteration of armure, from Old French, from Latin armatura — more at armature
1. : defensive covering for the body:
a. : the usually metal defensive covering worn in combat in the medieval period
suits of armor
— see mail 1
b. : the defensive covering (as that made of resin-treated glass-fiber cloth) used especially in modern warfare
troops with body armor and helmets
c. : the watertight pressure-resistant gear of a diver (as in deep-sea diving)
2. : a quality or circumstance that affords protection
the armor of courage
the armor of prosperity
3. : steel or iron plating designed to resist gunfire and used especially to protect ships, tanks, and aircraft
4. : a more or less hard and rigid protective covering of an animal or plant ; especially : the vegetable tissue enveloping the ligneous interior of certain fossil tree trunks — see bennettitales
5.
a. : a protective sheathing on wire, cordage, or hose
b. : a metal sheath commonly of woven wire or spiraled tape covering the insulation of an electrical conducting cable and serving both as a mechanical protection and as a shield against electrostatic or electromagnetic induction
6. : armored forces and vehicles (as mechanized artillery and tanks)
night attacks with armor — V.G.Gilbert
[s]armor.jpg[/s] [
armor 1: 1 helmet, 2 gorget, 3 shoulder piece, 4 pallette, 5 breastplate, 6 brassard, 7 elbow piece, 8 skirt of tasses, 9 tuille, 10 gauntlet, 11 cuisse, 12 knee piece, 13 jambeau, 14 solleret
]
II. transitive verb
( armored ; armored ; armoring -m(ə)riŋ ; armors )
: to equip with armor
four divisions were being armored