moat
/məʊt
/noun
A deep, wide ditch surrounding a castle, fort, or town, typically filled with water and intended as a defence against attack.Its present appearance, a picturesque ruin surrounded by a wide moat full of water lilies, masks its serious military purpose....
- Besides a moat filled with rain water by way of the castle aqueducts, there were two walls, the lower outer and the higher inner.
- It had a drawbridge that was not over a moat filled with water, but a chasm that seemed to go to the center of the Earth.
verb [with object] (often as adjective moated)
Surround (a place) with a moat: a moated castle...
- Thornham Hall was a perfect Tudor red brick moated hall with a classic straight and gated drive through the Park.
- It took many years to restore this fine, moated 17th century château and its cellars.
- He wondered if that moat would have the same effect on him as spring water or rain water would.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French mote 'mound'.