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Usually, arms. weapons, especially .
arms, Heraldry. the escutcheon, with its divisions, charges, and tinctures, and the other components forming an achievement that symbolizes and is reserved for a person, family, or corporate body; armorial bearings; .
to enter into a state of hostility or of readiness for war.
to equip with weapons:
to arm the troops.
to activate (a fuze) so that it will explode the charge at the time desired.
to cover protectively.
to provide with whatever will add strength, force, or security; support; fortify:
He was armed with statistics and facts.
to equip or prepare for any specific purpose or effective use:
to arm a security system; to arm oneself with persuasive arguments.
to prepare for action; make fit; ready.
bear arms,

to carry weapons.
to serve as a member of the military or of contending forces:
His religious convictions kept him from bearing arms, but he served as an ambulance driver with the Red Cross.

take up arms, to prepare for war; go to war:
to take up arms against the enemy.
under arms, ready for battle; trained and equipped:
The number of men under arms is no longer the decisive factor in warfare.
up in arms, ready to take action; indignant; outraged:
There is no need to get up in arms over such a trifle.
Contemporary Examples

The very concept of arming oneself was odious to him—it cut against the grain of his Gandhian principles.
Exclusive Excerpt: MLK’s Haunting Final Hours Hampton Sides April 23, 2010

Panetta is on shakier ground on the question of arming Syrian moderates.
Exposed: The White House’s Professor-in-Chief Jonathan Alter October 7, 2014

Iran casts a long shadow over the Mideast—arming Hezbollah, backing outlawed Iraqi militias, supporting the Taliban.
Iran’s Nervous Neighbors Salameh Nematt June 24, 2009

The administration had argued that arming the rebels would strengthen the rebel ultras.
Barack Obama’s Cairo Speech, and His Israel Problem Marty Peretz February 24, 2013

As bloodletting continues and criminals take advantage of the political chaos, ordinary Egyptians are arming themselves.
Egypt’s Arms Race Sophia Jones August 22, 2013

Historical Examples

The population, if not so fully armed as that of Mayo, is arming rapidly.
Disturbed Ireland Bernard H. Becker

Blocks are struck with the aid of an arming or blocking press.
Bookbinding, and the Care of Books Douglas Cockerell

He continued to be of the opinion that by equipping Redmond’s followers he would be arming enemies.
John Redmond’s Last Years Stephen Gwynn

Of course provision for arming, equipping, etc., must be made.
The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln, Volume Five Abraham Lincoln

The House resumed the consideration of the bill supplementary to the act for arming the militia, and for classing the same.
Abridgement of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856 (4 of 16 vol.) Various

noun
the act of taking arms or providing with arms
(nautical) a greasy substance, such as tallow, packed into the recess at the bottom of a sounding lead to pick up samples of sand, gravel, etc, from the bottom
noun
(in man) either of the upper limbs from the shoulder to the wrist related adjective brachial
the part of either of the upper limbs from the elbow to the wrist; forearm

the corresponding limb of any other vertebrate
an armlike appendage of some invertebrates

an object that covers or supports the human arm, esp the sleeve of a garment or the side of a chair, sofa, etc
anything considered to resemble an arm in appearance, position, or function, esp something that branches out from a central support or larger mass: an arm of the sea, the arm of a record player
an administrative subdivision of an organization: an arm of the government
power; authority: the arm of the law
any of the specialist combatant sections of a military force, such as cavalry, infantry, etc
(nautical) See yardarm
(sport) especially (ball games) ability to throw or pitch: he has a good arm
(informal) an arm and a leg, a large amount of money
arm in arm, with arms linked
at arm’s length, at a distance; away from familiarity with or subjection to another
(informal) give one’s right arm, to be prepared to make any sacrifice
in the arms of Morpheus, sleeping
with open arms, with great warmth and hospitality: to welcome someone with open arms
verb
(transitive) (archaic) to walk arm in arm with
verb (transitive)
to equip with weapons as a preparation for war
to provide (a person or thing) with something that strengthens, protects, or increases efficiency: he armed himself against the cold

to activate (a fuse) so that it will explode at the required time
to prepare (an explosive device) for use by introducing a fuse or detonator

(nautical) to pack arming into (a sounding lead)
noun
(usually pl) a weapon, esp a firearm
abbreviation
adjustable rate mortgage
n.

“upper limb,” Old English earm “arm,” from Proto-Germanic *armaz (cf. Old Saxon, Danish, Swedish, Middle Dutch, German arm, Old Norse armr, Old Frisian erm), from PIE root *ar- “fit, join” (cf. Sanskrit irmah “arm,” Armenian armukn “elbow,” Old Prussian irmo “arm,” Greek arthron “a joint,” Latin armus “shoulder”). Arm of the sea was in Old English. Arm-twister “powerful persuader” is from 1938. Arm-wrestling is from 1899.

They wenten arme in arme yfere Into the gardyn [Chaucer]

“weapon,” c.1300, armes (plural) “weapons of a warrior,” from Old French armes (plural), “arms, war, warfare,” mid-13c., from Latin arma “weapons” (including armor), literally “tools, implements (of war),” from PIE root *ar- “fit, join” (see arm (n.1)). The notion seems to be “that which is fitted together.” Meaning “heraldic insignia” (in coat of arms, etc.) is early 14c.; originally they were borne on shields of fully armed knights or barons.
v.

“to furnish with weapons,” c.1200, from Old French armer or directly from Latin armare, from arma (see arm (n.2)). Related: Armed; arming.

arm 1 (ärm)
n.
An upper limb of the human body, connecting the hand and wrist to the shoulder.

noun

A police officer

verb

highflag (Cabdrivers)

Related Terms

as long as your arm, crooked arm, one-arm bandit, ride the arm, stiff, twist someone’s arm

[police sense fr arm of the law]
adjustable rate mortgage
Alien Resistance Movement
antiradiation missile
Armenia (international vehicle ID)

used to denote power (Ps. 10:15; Ezek. 30:21; Jer. 48:25). It is also used of the omnipotence of God (Ex. 15:16; Ps. 89:13; 98:1; 77:15; Isa. 53:1; John 12:38; Acts 13:17)

arm and a leg
arm in arm

also see:

at arm’s length
babe in arms
forewarned is forearmed
give one’s eyeteeth (right arm)
long arm of the law
one-armed bandit
put the arm on
shot in the arm
take up arms
talk someone’s arm off
twist someone’s arm
up in arms
with one arm tied behind
with open arms