arms Copy link Outline I. WeaponsII. Armorial bearings • arms: I. Weapons: arma, orum (including those both of defence and of offence; but of the latter only those used in close combat, as distinguished from missiles): the conveyance of a. and missiles, armorum atque telorum portationes, Sall.: some a. are for defence, others for offence, a. alia ad tegendum, alia ad nocendum, Cic.: to take up a., a. capere or sumere, Cic.: to be under a., in armis esse, Caes.: to lay down one's a., a. dedere, ab armis discedere, Caes.; arma deponere, Cic.: he strips the enemy of their a., hostes armis exuit, Caes.: men fit to bear a., qui a. ferre possunt, Caes.: to raise the cry, To arms! ad arma! conclamare, Caes.: Cic. (v. also to arm). Fig.: let him reflect that if he shall aim any weapon at me, I will at once snatch up the a. of the courts of justice and of the laws, cogitet si quod in me telum intenderit, statim me esse arrepturum arma judiciorum atque legum, Cic.: v. weapon, missile. Met.: war, hostility: amid a. the laws are silent, silent leges inter a., Cic.: let arms yield to the gown (of peace), cedant a. togae, Cic.: too prone to dreadful a., ad horrida promptior a., Ov. II. Armorial bearings: q. v.