Etymology From French équiper (“to supply, fit out”), originally said of a ship, Old French esquiper (“to embark”); of Germanic origin, most probably from Old Norse skipa (“to man (a ship)”), from Proto-Germanic *skipōną (“to ship, sail, embark”). Compare with Middle High German schipfen, German schiffern, Icelandic skipa, Old English scipian. Doublet of ship.
1
To supply with something necessary in order to carry out a specific action or task; to provide with (e.g. weapons, provisions, munitions, rigging).
1698-1699, Edmund Ludlow, Memoirs Gave orders for equipping a considerable fleet.
A semicircular plate, with the numbers in multiples of five up to thirty miles an hour, is equipped with a pointer, which indicates accurately the speed of the car.1916, “Indicator Tells Pursuing Police Speed of Automobile”, in Popular Science Monthly/Volume 88:
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Some of those neighbors will also have Meraki boxes that serve as repeaters, relaying the signal still farther to more neighbors. The company equips its boxes with software that maintains a “mesh network,” which dynamically reroutes signals as boxes are added or unplugged, and as environmental conditions that affect network performance fluctuate moment to moment.2007 February 4, Randall Stross, “Wireless Internet for All, Without the Towers”, in The New York Times:
More than 40,000 would-be migrants to Europe have been intercepted at sea since Italy began paying and equipping the Libyan coastguard to do so in 2017.2020 February 13, Roland Oliphant, “'I have lost four years of my life': the desperate migrants stuck in squalid Libyan camps”, in The Telegraph:
2
To dress up; to array; to clothe.
The country are led astray in following the town, and equipped in a ridiculous habit, when they fancy themselves in the height of the mode.1711 July 12 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “SUNDAY, July 2, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 129; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
3
To prepare (someone) with a skill.
I'm sorry, but I don't feel equipped to answer that kinda question yet.
it is no more than proper that you should equip us with a vessel in which to pursue the journey which you interrupted1921, Rafael Sabatini, In Destiny's Clutch:
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Already in the primary school work is conducted for the purpose of equipping the pupils with those elements of general knowledge which are closely related to the military preparation of future warriors.1947 October 20, “Russian Catechism”, in Time:
4
Games, Gaming To equip oneself with (an item); to bring (equipment) into active use.
Take it down from a distance with a magic spell, or equip your sword and attack it at close range.2002, Prima Temp Authors, PlayStation 2: Hot Strategies for Cool Games, page 69:
Etymology From French équiper (“to supply, fit out”), originally said of a ship, Old French esquiper (“to embark”); of Germanic origin, most probably from Old Norse skipa (“to man (a ship)”), from Proto-Germanic *skipōną (“to ship, sail, embark”). Compare with Middle High German schipfen, German schiffern, Icelandic skipa, Old English scipian. Doublet of ship.