This phrase means formidably armed and is one of many uses of the metaphorical phrase 'to the teeth', meaning 'very fully or completely'. This expression has been used since the fourteenth century as an equivalent to the common 'up to here', with hand signal indicating the neck region. The first modern recorded use of the phrase was in 1849, when the English statesman Richard Cobden spoke of the defence budget.

Übersetzung:

bis an die Zähne bewaffnet

Gegenteil(e)

The opposite of "armed to the teeth" is "unarmed".

Synonym(e):

You could also say: heavily armed.