Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A wall or palisade surrounding the structures protected by a medieval fort or castle, especially the outer wall of a castle.
  • noun The space enclosed by this wall.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun See bailie.
  • noun The external wall of defense about a feudal castle (see bail); by extension, any of the circuits of wall other than a keep or donjon, that is, any line of defense other than the innermost one.
  • noun As used by later writers, the outer court or base-court of a castle; by extension, any court of a defensive post used with a distinctive epithet.
  • noun Also ballium.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete The outer wall of a feudal castle.
  • noun obsolete The space immediately within the outer wall of a castle or fortress.
  • noun engraving A prison or court of justice; -- used in certain proper names.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The outer wall of a feudal castle.
  • noun The space immediately within the outer wall of a castle or fortress.
  • noun A prison or court of justice; -- used in certain proper names; as, the Old Bailey in London; the New Bailey in Manchester.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun English lexicographer who was the first to treat etymology consistently; his work was used as a reference by Samuel Johnson (died in 1742)
  • noun the outer defensive wall that surrounds the outer courtyard of a castle
  • noun the outer courtyard of a castle
  • noun United States singer (1918-1990)

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English bailli, from Old French baille, probably from Latin bacula, pl. of baculum, log, stick; see bacillus.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French baile ("palisade, enclosure").

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Examples

Comments

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  • Weirdnet #2...??

    Defended courtyard or ward of a castle. Open area enclosed by the castle walls.

    August 24, 2008