terreplein
/ˈtɛːpleɪn
/noun chiefly historical
A level space where a battery of guns is mounted.Guns usually stood on a flat terreplein, shooting over a wide earth parapet which was intended to absorb incoming fire, although they might also fire through splayed embrasures, or be housed in vaulted casemates on a lower storey....
- From behind the grass covered ramparts above, mortars and heavy guns on the surrounding terreplein would provide heavy bombardment against the enemy.
- The Medieval walls without flanks and terreplein to resist gunpowder bombardment were easy prey to the besiegers and the fortifications soon succumbed.
Origin
Late 16th century (denoting a sloping bank behind a rampart): from French terre-plein, from Italian terrapieno 'filled with earth'.
Rhymes
- multidigitate
- multidimensional
- multidimensionality
- multidimensionally
- multidirectional
- multi-disc
- multidisciplinarian
- multidisciplinary
- multidiscipline
- multidisciplined
- multi-disk
- multidomestic
- multi-drop
- multidrug
- multidrug-resistant
- multi-electrode
- multielectron
- multi-element
- multi-employer
- multi-engine
- multi-engined
- multienzyme
- multi-ethnic
- multi-event
- multiexposure