abatis
English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From French abatis, abattis (“mass of things beaten or cut down”), from abattre. See abate.
Pronunciation edit
- (Received Pronunciation) singular IPA(key): /ˈæbətiː/, plural IPA(key): /ˈæbətiːz/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈæbətəs/; also singular IPA(key): /ˈæbətiː/, plural IPA(key): /ˈæbətiːz/
Audio (CA) (file)
Noun edit
abatis (plural abatis or abatises)
- A means of defense formed by felled trees, or sometimes by bent trees, the ends of whose branches are sharpened and directed outwards, or against the enemy, and more recently fortified with barbed wire. [Mid 19th century.][1]
- (historical) In the Middle Ages, an officer of the stables who had the care of measuring out the provender; an avenor.
- In coal-mining, walls of cord-wood piled up crosswise to keep the underground roads open so as to secure ventilation.
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
means of defense
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References edit
- ^ Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “abatis”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 2.
Further reading edit
- Abatis in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)
- Century Dictionary, volume 1, 1889, page 5
Anagrams edit
Catalan edit
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
abatis
Ido edit
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
abatis
- past of abatar
Portuguese edit
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
abatis m (plural abatises)
- abatis (fortification formed by felled trees with sharpened branches)