countermure

English

Alternative forms

• contramure

Etymology

From French contremurer.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkaʊntɚˌmjʊɹ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkaʊntəˌmjʊə/

Noun

countermure (plural countermures)

1. A wall raised behind another, to supply its place when that is breached or destroyed.
   • 1603, Richard Knolles, The Generall Historie of the Turkes, […], London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC:

     if they could aduance a countermure as high as their wals , and ſo to attaine to the conqueſt thereof

Verb

countermure (third-person singular simple present countermures, present participle countermuring, simple past and past participle countermured)

1. (transitive) To fortify with a wall behind another wall.
   • 15??, Thomas Kyd, The Spanish Tragedy

     They are plac'd in those empyreal heights,
     Where, counter-mur'd with walls of diamond,
     I find the place impregnable.

References

“countermure”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.