[f. ARM v.1 + -ING1.]
1. The action or process of furnishing (oneself or others) with arms or armor; † concr. arms, armor (obs.).
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VII. 218. Na war the armyng that he had, He had beyn ded.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sir Thopas, 136. For to telle tales Anoon in myn armynge.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xiv. 240. Ne non point of al his armeng.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, IV. i. 120. His arming is the proper arming of a Captaine.
1626. Markham, Souldiers Gram., II. 13. His office extendeth … to the well arming, ordering and disposing of bodies.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xii. The arming was now universal.
† b. esp. quasi-adj. in attrib. uses: = Forming part of arms or armor, used in military accoutrement; as in arming-dagger, -gauntlet, -girdle, -nail, -sword, -tusk; arming-points, ends of strong twine used to fasten together the plates of mail at the joints of the arms and legs. Obs.
1472. Sir J. Paston, in Lett., 692, III. 40. And I gaffe hym a ffayr armyng sworde.
1481–90. Howard Househ. Bks., 385. For ij c. off armyngnayle of on sorte, ij d.
a. 1500. Agincourt, 74, in Hazl., E. P. P., II. 96. Speres and bylles … And armynge dagers.
1577. Harrison, England, I. II. xxiv. 359. An arming girdle, harnessed with pure gold.
1598. Florio, Balteo, a belt, a sword or arming girdle.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes (1638), 274. With their lances and arming swords.
1611. Cotgr., Brasselet … an arming gantlet, that reaches up almost to the elbow.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 398. The bristled Boar … New grinds his arming Tusks.
1860. Fairholt, Costume, 543. [Palettes] are secured to the plate beneath by arming points.
2. Any apparatus or structure intended for defensive or protective covering; spec. those of a ship.
1466. Mann. & Househ. Exp., 347. For the lynenge of the toppe armynge … xx d.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 543/1. Thereupon also the arming might be set much more firmlie than upon anie other mould.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., xiii. 59. His … top armings … is a long red cloth.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., Armings … red clothes, hung about the outsides of the ship’s upper works, fore and aft.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Top-armings, hammocks stowed inside the rigging for the protection of riflemen.
3. The equipment or completion of anything with that which gives it strength or efficiency, or fits it for a purpose. concr. The completing part thus furnished. In various spec. uses, as: the tallow at the bottom of a sounding-lead; the armature of a magnet. Often attrib.
1552. Huloet, Armynge coarde of a nette, Plaga.
1581. Studley, Seneca’s Trag., Hippol., 56 b. Some with the arming coarde by pensell paynted red … shall make the Beastes adred.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, IV. iv. 113. Neither that anie Pike do want his head, cheekes, or arming.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, IV. iii. 72. To the full arming of the veritie.
1653. Walton, Angler, 150. Carrying your arming wyer along his back.
1731. Gray, in Phil. Trans., XXXVII. 32. A small key hung by one of its [a loadstone’s] arming Irons.
1775. Dalrymple, ibid., LXVIII. 396. There was the mark of rock on the arming of the lead.
1855. Whichcord, in Archæol. Jrnl., X. 48. The lines of the lead-work, or arming, which held the glass.
1867. F. Francis, Angling, iv. (1880), 118. A bait thus put on … shows enough arming … to hook any fish.
1875. Bedford, Sailor’s Pocket Bk., v. 153. The necessary tallow for arming.
4. The action of furnishing with heraldic devices; † concr. heraldic arms (obs.). Attrib., as in arming-press, a bookbinder’s machine used in stamping and lettering the covers of books.
1598. Marston, Pigmalion’s Im., i. 140. Oh golden Ierkin! Royall arming coate!
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Knt. Pestle, I. 51. I must bespeak my Shield and arming Pestle.
1627. Drayton, Agincourt, etc., 14. Or by the difference of their Armings knowne, Or by their Colours.
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, I. 422. The upper bed of an arming press.
