a military force that is raised from the civil population to supplement a regular army in an emergency 国民军(紧急情况时从国民中召集用以补充正规军);民兵(组织) ■a military force that engages in rebel or terror activities, typically in opposition to a regular army 叛乱武装分子;恐怖武装 ■(in the US) all able-bodied civilians eligible by law for military service (美国)可依法征召的所有公民
语源
late 16th cent.: from Latin, literally military service', from miles, milit- 'soldier'