Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Naval, a box placed on the upper deck, or in the tops, to contain a ready supply of rifles, pistols, or cutlasses.
- noun A similar box or chest used in the military service for the transportation of small arms.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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The blow that prostrated the first white man was the earliest symptom I detected of the revolt; but, in an instant, I had the arm-chest open on the quarter-deck, and the mate and steward beside me to protect it.
Captain Canot or, Twenty Years of an African Slaver Theodore Canot
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In a few minutes, I had cast a hasty glance into the arm-chest, and seen that our weapons were in order.
Captain Canot or, Twenty Years of an African Slaver Theodore Canot
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To knock down the first man with a double-handed thrust with the barrel of his musket was the work of a moment, at the same instant Dick struck and felled a Frenchman who had rushed to the arm-chest.
Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 4 Charles Herbert Sylvester
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At the same time, I gave each a cutlass from the arm-chest, and supplying my trusty whites with a couple of pistols and
Captain Canot or, Twenty Years of an African Slaver Theodore Canot
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Chesapeake's arm-chest, the enemy took advantage of the confusion, and boarded the vessel.
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They opened an arm-chest, and every man took out a carbine or blunderbuss, a brace of pistols, and a cutlass or boarding pike, and we set out, after having drunk so many glasses of brandy and arrack that the bottles were empty.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 12, No. 347, December 20, 1828 Various
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Lieut. Parker and myself, being both swimmers, were fortunate enough to reach one of the arm-chest gratings, which afforded us partial support, but on which we should inevitably have been drowned, if we had not, when we had swam some twenty or thirty paces, secured an upper half port which came drifting by us.
The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 J. F. Loubat
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I was myself standing on the lee arm-chest, having just passed over from the weather quarter, and, with my spy-glass in hand, was observing the reef on our lee bow to see whether it were possible to weather it, or in the event of our not being able to do this, to give timely notice to the officer of the deck to tack ship.
The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 J. F. Loubat
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At three quarters past nine, the arm-chest, filled with musket-cartridges, blew up, and set fire to several places in the poop and quarter-deck, but was fortunately extinguished.
The Life of the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, Volume 1 James Harrison
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On examining the carabines brought back from shore, which I had hurriedly thrown into the arm-chest on deck, I found that the lock of this armory had been forced, and several pistols and cutlasses abstracted.
Captain Canot or, Twenty Years of an African Slaver Theodore Canot
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