sangar

English

Etymology

From Pashto  (sangar).

Alternative forms

• sanger

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈsaŋə/

Noun

sangar (plural sangars)

1. (military, UK) A stone breastwork; a fortified niche or look-out post.
   • 1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society 2010, p. 422:

     At the summits of these the enemy sharpshooters waited for them in sangars, or rock-built entrenchments, each of which had to be taken before the advance could safely continue.

   • 2002, Stephen Hughes, The Iraqi Threat and Saddam Hussein′s Weapons of Mass Destruction, page 140,

     A sangar is a breastwork in the form of stonewalls built without bounding material. If stones are unavailable at or near the picket site sandbags are brought in to build the sangar.

   • 2003, Mike Ryan, Secret Operations of the SAS, page 81,

     As the sun finally set, the rebels rushed the sangars, but were cut to pieces by the deadly accurate SAS fire.

   • 2007, David Humphry, Siege, page 205,

     The game′s up, thought Piet as the Burghers returned fire and moved forward to attack the sangar.