He who knows most, doubts most. — Jerónimo de Carranza
Dedicated to researching historical Spanish fencing and sharing the knowledge with the public.
the Destreza Glossary
Arma
Weapon; (pl.) arms, weapons
Dictionary: Academia Autoridades (A-B), 1726
Weapon. s.f. Todo género de instrumento destinado, no solo à
offender al contrário: como son las flechas, lanzas, arcabúces,
&c. sino tambien las que se hacen para defensa própia, como
la cota, el casco, la rodéla, &c. y asi se distinguen en armas
ofensivas y defensives. Es voz puramente Latina. Lat. Arma, orum.
Partid.4.tit.18.l.II. O mal metiessen los caballos ò armas.
Comend.fob.las 300.fol.10. Las saétas en la guerra son arma
muy antigua y usáda, segun Homéro. Ercill. Arauc. Cant.I.
“Tienen dobles y fuertes coselétes, / Arma común
à todos los soldádos.”
Weapon. s.f. All types of instrument destined, not only to attack [on the offensive] the adversary: as are the arrows, lances, harquebus, etc. but also those that one uses for one’s own defense, such as the cota, the helm [casco], the round shield, etc. and thus they are distinguished as offensive or defensive weapons. It is a purely Latin word. Lat. Arma, orum. Partid.4.tit.18.l.II. O mal metiessen the horses or weapons. Comend.fob.las 300.fol.10. The saétas in the war are weapons very ancient and used, according to Homer. Ercill. Arauc. Cant.I. “They have double and strong coselétes, /Common weapon to all the soldiers.”
Arma falsa, u dar arma. Es quando el enemígo hace tocar los instrumentos de guerra, fingiendo acometer para tener desvelado y confuso al contrário, ò por llamar, y divertir por una parte para lograr por otra algun intento, ò interpressa. Lat. Bellicum falso canere. Fallax pralie dare fignum. Mend. Guerr. de Gran. lib.3. num. 36. Dando un arma de noche à los nuestros, se salió con su gente y dinéro sin recibir daño. Ercill. Arauc. Cant. 24. “Digo que alli estuvimos dos semánas / Con falsas armas y esperanzas vanas.”
Arma falsa, u dar arma [False attack, feint]. It is when the enemy touches the instruments of war, pretending to attack to tener desvelado and confused the adversary, or as an invitation, and to divert to one location in order to achieve by another some intention, or enterprise. Lat. Bellicum falso canere. Fallax pralie dare fignum. Mend. Guerr. de Gran. lib.3. num. 36. Dando un arma at night to ours, he left with his people and money without receiving injury. Ercill. Arauc. Cant. 24. “I say that there we were for two weeks / With falsas armas and vain hopes.”
Arma falsa. Se entiende asimismo quando el que manda las tropas la hace tocar para ver si los soldádos están prontos y con ánimo para esperar al enemigo. Lat. Pralii fignum.
Arma falsa. One understands asimismo when the one that commands the troops la hace tocar to see if the soldiers are ready and with energy to wait for the enemy. Lat. Pralii fignum.
Armas blancas. Se llaman las de acéro, ò hierro con que se vestia en lo antíguo el Caballero, ù hombre de armas: como eran morrión, peto, espaldár, &c. Lat. Splendentia arma. Cerv. Quix. tom.I.cap.2. En lo de las armas blancas pensaba limpiarlas de manéra, que lo fuessen mas que un armiño.
Side-arms [Literally, white arms]. The name for those of acero, or iron with which one would dress in the past [ancient times] the Knight, or man of arms [weapons]: as were morrion, peto, espaldar, etc. Lat. Splendentia arma. Cerv. Quix. tom.I.cap.2. In that of the side-arms [white arms] he thought to clean them in such a way, that they were more than an armiño.
Arrojar las armas. Phrase que vale no querer pelear, y por señal se arrojan las armas con que se ha de ofender al contrario. Lat. Arma ponere, abjicere.
Arrojar [To lower?] the weapons. Phrase that means to not want to fight, and by signal they se arrojan the weapons with which one is going to attack the adversary. Lat. Arma ponere, abjicere.
Jugar las armas. Comunmente se toma por esgrimir con las espádas negras, batallando entre dos para exercitarse y mostrar la destréza. Lat. Rudibus digladiari, eludere, exerceri. Gladiatoriam ...bratilem exercere. Jacint. Pol. fol.290. No eran solas estas las armas que alli se jugaban.
Swordplay [to play with weapons]. Commonly is understood as fencing with the fencing foils [black swords], battling between two to exercise and demonstrate skill. Lat. Rudibus digladiari, eludere, exerceri. Gladiatoriam ...bratilem exercere. Jacint. Pol. fol.290. These were not the only weapons that they played there.
Maestro de armas. El que enseña el arte de la esgríma. Lat. Rudiarie palastra magister. Quev. Tacañ. cap.10. Hicieronlos amígos à él y al Maestro de armas, el qual se apartó diciendo que lo que alegaba mi compañero era bueno.
Master of arms [weapons]. One who teaches the art of fencing. Lat. Rudiarie palastra magister. Quev. Tacañ. cap.10. They made friends with him and the Master of arms, who left saying that that which alegaba my companion was good.
Rendir las armas. Es bajarlas, y entregarse al vencedor, y equivale en el campo à entregarse à merced, o à discreción. Lat. Tradere arma. Hosti cedere. Dare manus.
Yield [Yield the weapons]. It is to lower them, and to entregarse to the victor [winner], and it is equal on the field to entregarse to mercy, or to discretion. Lat. Tradere arma. Hosti cedere. Dare manus.
Tomar las armas contra uno. Se declararse su contrario, y hacerle guerra como à enemígo. Usase con mas propriedád de esta locución cuando el inferior, ò súbdito se opóne y falta à la obediencia de su dueño ò superiór, y se levanta contra él. Lat. Arma in aliquem capessere. Solis., Hist. de Nuev. Esp. lib.I.cap.4. En Sicilia tambien tomó el Pueblo las armas contra el Virréy Don Hugo de Moncáda, con tanto arrojamiento que le obligó à dejar al Réino en manos de la plebe.
To take up arms against someone. To declare your adversary, and to make war with him as an enemy. It is used with more propriety of this locucion when the inferior, or subject opposes and lacks obedience to his owner or superior, and rises up against him. Lat. Arma in aliquem capessere. Solis., Hist. de Nuev. Esp. lib.I.cap.4. In Sicily the Community also took up arms against the Viceroy Don Hugo de Moncada, with so much arrojamiento that they forced him to leave the Kingdom in hands of the plebe.
Vestir las armas. Es prevenirse para pelear tomando las armas, y acudiendo à los puestos. Lat. Induere arma. Fuenm. S. Pio V. fol.126. Y offaron vestir armas en daño de la Christiandád.
Arma ligera muerte qualquiera. Refr. que se dijo ponderando la vileza y perjuício de las armas cortas, que como quieren execútan el golpe: y por eso son tan justamente prohibidas. Lat. Pugio dolofus preparat certam necem.
A loose weapon kills whoever. Saying that was said pondering the vileza and perjuício of the cortas weapons, that whoever wants performs [executes] the blow: and for this reason they are so justly prohibited. Lat. Pugio dolofus preparat certam necem.
Armas y dineros buenas manos quieren. Refr. que advierte que el que no sabe usar de uno y otro con prudéncia y moderación, antes le sirven de daño que de provécho. Lat. Dextras sepè manus arma atque pecunia poscunt.
Weapons and money want [need] good hands. Saying that warns that he that does not know how to use one or the other with prudence and moderation, will be served first by injury than advantage by them. Lat. Dextras sepè manus arma atque pecunia poscunt.
Dictionary: Minsheu 1599 (Spanish-English)
Tránce de ármas = a single combat of one to one, a battell.
Hazér ármas = to fight, or to combate.
Dictionary: Oxford English Dictionary (online): (01
May 2005)
Arm
II. Elliptical senses. (Only pl. exc. in 9.)
6. The exercise or employment of arms; fighting, war, active hostilites.
to bid arms (obs.): to offer battle. to carry arms: to wage war. to appeal
to arms: see APPEAL v. 6b.
7. The practice or profession of arms, service as a soldier, the military
profession.
8. a. Deeds or feats of arms. Now only poet.; deeds, feats, etc. being
expressed in prose.
b. phr. a passage of (or at) arms: an exchange of blows
by armed opponents, an encounter; also fig. a controversial bout. an assault
of (or at) arms: an attack made upon each other by two fencers, etc.,
as an exercise or trial of skill; and, in a wider sense, a display of
hand-to-hand military exercises. See PASSAGE, ASSAULT.
