▪ I. armory1
(ˈɑːmərɪ)
Forms: 5 (Caxton) armoirie, -oyrye, 5–6 -orye, -orie, 6 -ery, 5– armory, 6– armoury.
[a. OF. armoierie, armoirie, f. armoier, or armoieor, -oyeur, a blazoner, f. armoier, -oyer, to blazon = It. armeggiāre, a Romanic vb. f. arma arms. See also armoury.]
1. The science of blazoning arms, heraldry.
| 1489 Caxton Faytes of Armes iv. xvii, Of the armoirie..White that men calle in armoyrye siluer..Blak that men calle in armoyrie sable. 1586 J. Hooker Girald. Irel. ii. in Holinsh. II. 152 In histories and armories. 1611 J. Guillim Heraldry i. i. 5 Armory is an Art rightly prescribing the true knowledge and use of Armes. 1651 J. C. Poems 9 Mettal on Mettal is ill Armorie. 1662 J. Bargrave Pope Alex. VII (1867) 128 The king learned armory, geography, and history. 1868 Cussans Handbk. Her. i. 21 Anterior to the period in which a system of Armory was established. |
2. Armorial bearings, ‘arms’. arch.
| a 1500 Agincourt 120 in Hazl. E.P.P. II. 98 Full well broydered with armory gaye. 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie 224 The Lion being her owne noble armory. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xi. (1632) 672 Knights, Esquiers, and men of Armories. 1628 Coke On Litt. 7 b, He first quartered the French Armories with the English in his great Seale. 1868 Morris Earthly Par. ii. 167 Some great man's badge of war, or armoury. |
† 3. Ensigns of war; ‘colours.’ Obs.
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. clx. 194 Great nobles of fayre harnesse and riche armory of baners and penons. Ibid. ccxxxvii. 338 The baners and penons, and y⊇ noble armery. |
▪ II. † ˈarmory2 Obs.
[A refashioned form of ambry after F. armoire.]
A cupboard or ambry.
| 1602 Warner Alb. Eng. xii. lxix. (1612) 290 In yonder chamber Hath Mandeuil his closet, and no common Armorie. |
▪ III. armory
variant of armoury.