cheval-de-frise

cheval-de-frisec. 1861-1865 cheval-de-frisePetersburg, Virginia

che·val-de-frise

C0280700 (shə-văl′də-frēz′)n. pl. che·vaux-de-frise (shə-vō′-) 1. An obstacle made of stakes or spikes attached to a log, wooden frame, or metal drum and used to block enemy advancement or prevent unauthorized access.2. A line of jagged glass or spikes set into masonry on top of a wall.

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[French, Frisian horse (from its use in Friesland to compensate for a lack of cavalry) : cheval, horse + de, of + Frise, Friesland.]

cheval-de-frise

(ʃəˌvældəˈfriːz) n, pl chevaux-de-frise (ʃəˌvəʊdəˈfriːz) 1. (Military) a portable barrier of spikes, sword blades, etc, used to obstruct the passage of cavalry2. a row of spikes or broken glass set as an obstacle on top of a wall[C17: from French, literally: horse from Friesland (where it was first used)]

che•val-de-frise

(ʃəˈvæl dəˈfriz)

n., pl. che•vaux-de-frise (ʃəˈvoʊ dəˈfriz) Usu., chevaux-de-frise. a portable defensive obstacle, typically a beam from which rows of sharpened stakes protrude, used in field fortifications or to close a breach in a wall. [1680–90; < French; literally, horse of Friesland, so called because first used by Frisians]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.cheval-de-frise - defensive structure consisting of a movable obstacle composed of barbed wire or spikes attached to a wooden frame; used to obstruct cavalrychevaux-de-frisedefensive structure, defence, defense - a structure used to defend against attack; "the artillery battered down the defenses"