ARMADILLA. A squadron of guarda-costas, which formerly cruized on the coasts of South America, to prevent smuggling. ARMADOR. A Spanish privateer. ARMAMENT. A naval or military force equipped for an expedition. The arming of a vessel or place. ARMAMENTA. The rigging and tackling of an ancient ship. It included shipmen and all the necessary furniture of war. ARMATÆ. Ancient ships fitted with sails and oars, but which fought under the latter only. ARM-CHEST. A portable locker on the upper deck or tops for holding arms, and affording a ready supply of cutlasses, pistols, muskets or other weapons. ARMED. Completely equipped for war.--_Armed at all points_, covered with armour.--_Armed "en flute," see_ FLUTE.--_Armed mast_, made of more than one tree.--_Armed ship_, a vessel fitted out by merchants to annoy the enemy, and furnished with letters of marque, and bearing a commission from the Admiralty to carry on warlike proceedings. ARMED STEM. _See_ BEAK. ARMILLARY SPHERE. An instrument composed of various circles, to assist the student in gaining a knowledge of the arrangement and motions of the heavenly bodies. A brass _armilla tolomæi_ was one of the instruments supplied to Martin Frobisher in 1576, price £4, 6_s._ 8_d._ ARMING. A piece of tallow placed in the cavity and over the bottom of a sounding lead, to which any objects at the bottom of the sea become attached, and are brought with the lead to the surface. ARMINGS. Red dress cloths which were formerly hung fore and aft, outside the upper works on holidays; still used by foreigners. (_See_ TOP-ARMINGS.) It was also the name of a kind of boarding-net. ARMIPOTENT. Powerful in war. ARMISTICE. A cessation of arms for a given time; a short truce for the suspension of hostilities. ARMLET. A narrow inlet of the sea; a smaller branch than the arm. Also the name of a piece of armour for the arm, to protect it from the jar of the bow-string. ARMOGAN. An old term for good opportunity or season for navigation, which, if neglected, was liable to costs of demurrage. It is a Mediterranean word for fine weather. ARMORIC. The language of Brittany, Cornwall, and Wales: the word in its original signification meant _maritime_. ARMOUR. A defensive habit to protect the wearer from his enemy; also defensive arms. In old statutes this is frequently called _harness_. ARMOUR-CLAD. A ship of war fitted with iron plates on the outside to render her shot-proof. ARMOURER. In a man-of-war, is a person appointed by warrant to keep the small arms in complete condition for service. As he is also the ship's blacksmith, a mate is allowed to assist at the forge. ARMOURY. A place appropriated for the keeping of small arms. ARM-RACK. A frame or fitting for the stowage of arms (usually vertical) out of harm's way, but in readiness for immediate use. In the conveyance of troops by sea arm-racks form a part of the proper accommodation.