arm to the teeth

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arm to the teeth (third-person singular simple present arms to the teeth, present participle arming to the teeth, simple past and past participle armed to the teeth)

1. (idiomatic, informal, transitive, intransitive) To equip thoroughly with weapons.
   • 1809, Washington Irving, chapter 33, in Knickerbocker's History of New York:

     There, on the ramparts of the forts, stood Nicholas Koorn, armed to the teeth, flourishing a brass-hilted sword.

   • 1910, H. Rider Haggard, chapter 15, in Queen Sheba's Ring:

     Who can murmur sweet nothings to his adored when two soldiers armed to the teeth have been instructed never to let him out of their sight?

   • 2009 May 25, Michael Schuman, “Building Bridges to China”, in Time:

     Both sides armed the Taiwan Strait to the teeth, turning it into one of Asia's most dangerous military flash points.

• armed to the teeth (adjective)

• loaded for bear