/ahrmd/ , adj.
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. (esp. 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.
[ 1250-1300; ME; see ARM 2 , -ED 2 ]