A vessel is “armed” when she is fitted with a full armament for fighting purposes. She may be equipped for warlike purposes, without being “armed.” By “arm-ed” it is ordinarily meant that she has cannon, but lf she had a fighting crew, muskets, pistols, powder, shot, cutlasses, and boarding appliances, she might well be said to be equipped for warlike purposes, though not anhed. 2 Hurl. & C. 537; Murray v. The Charming Betsy, 2 Cranch, 121, 2 L. Ed. 208
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
