1. trans. To put into arms; to fit or equip with armor or weapons. Also refl.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 1351. He was en-armed ful stronge.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. vii. The nauye … Well enarmed and rychely vitayled.
1500–20. Dunbar, Lament Makaris, vi. Anarmit vnder [Maitland MS. enarmit baith with] helme and scheild.
c. 1565. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (1728), 60. We exhort your Majesty to enarm yourself.
1584. Hudson, trans. Du Bartas’ Judith, i. 371 (1613) (D.). While shepherds they enarme vnus’d to danger.
1830. J. Mayne, Siller Gun, 128. Dumfries, in mony a chosen band, Enarm’d appears.
b. fig.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 623. Thei wol … his courage enarme.
1541. Becon, News out of Heaven, Wks. (1843), 46. And the better enarm himself with courageous valiance to fight against the crafty and subtile assaults of his enemy [the Devil].
1581. A. Andreson, Serm. Paules Crosse, 61. Our wicked nature with tooth & naile, enarmeth hautie contempt against them.
2. transf.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 910. The vesare, þe aventaile, enarmede so faire.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 502. And hete eke wol thi hous enarme.
1496. Bk. St. Albans, Fishing, 27. The carpe … is … stronge enarmyd in the mouthe.
3. Cookery. To lard, garnish with bacon.
c. 1420. Liber Cocorum (1862), 29. The crane is enarmed ful wele … With larde of porke.
1494. Fabyan, VII. 599. Bore hedes in castellys of golde and enarmed.
4. Her. To depict in various colors the arms (beak, hoofs, tusks, etc.) of a bird or beast. Also transf. (nonce-use), to describe as if heraldically the ‘arms’ of (a hawk).
14[?]. Praise of Vere, 74, in Todd, Illust. Gower & Chauc., 306. [His auncestry] Beryth hym [the boar] azure enarmyd with gold.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, A vij b. To begynne at hir fete and goo vpwarde as knyghttis been harnesside and armeed, & so we shall enarme her [the hawk].
1818. in Todd.
Hence Enarmed ppl. a., furnished with armor, equipped for battle.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, xxx. 12262. In company with knightes enarmit.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 222. With the hole bandis of French men enarmed.
1582–8. Hist. Jas. VI. (1804), 93. Requyring support of enarmit men for defence of the King’s caus.
Enarm, var. of INARM, to embrace.
