Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A large fortified building or group of buildings with thick walls, usually dominating the surrounding country.
- noun A fortified stronghold converted to residential use.
- noun A large ornate building similar to or resembling a fortified stronghold.
- noun A place of privacy, security, or refuge.
- intransitive verb To move the king in chess from its own square two empty squares to one side and then, in the same move, bring the rook from that side to the square immediately past the new position of the king.
- intransitive verb To place in or as if in a castle.
- intransitive verb Games To move (the king in chess) by castling.
from The Century Dictionary.
- In chess, to move the king from his own square two squares to the right or left, and bring the rook or castle to the square the king has passed over.
- noun A building, or series of connected buildings, fortified for defense against an enemy; a fortified residence; a fortress.
- noun In heraldry, a representation of two or more towers connected by curtains, often having a gateway in one of the curtains, and always embattled.
- noun The house or mansion of a person of rank or wealth: somewhat vaguely applied, but usually to a large and more or less imposing building.
- noun A piece made in the form of a castle, donjon, or tower, used in the game of chess; the rook.
- noun A kind of helmet.
- noun Nautical, a kind of fighting-tower formerly erected on war-galleys, etc., near the bow and stern, and called respectively forecastle and aftcastle. See cut under
cadenas . - noun Synonyms See
fortification .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A fortified residence, especially that of a prince or nobleman; a fortress.
- noun Any strong, imposing, and stately mansion.
- noun A small tower, as on a ship, or an elephant's back.
- noun A piece, made to represent a castle, used in the game of chess; a rook.
- noun a visionary project; a baseless scheme; an air castle; -- sometimes called a
castle in Spain (F.Château en Espagne ). - intransitive verb (Chess) To move the castle to the square next to king, and then the king around the castle to the square next beyond it, for the purpose of covering the king.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A large
building that isfortified and contains manydefences ; in previous ages often inhabited by anobleman orking . - noun chess An instance of
castling . - noun chess, informal A
rook ; achess piece shaped like a castletower . - noun obsolete A
close helmet . - verb chess To perform the move of
castling . - verb cricket To
bowl abatsman with a full-length ball oryorker such that thestumps are knocked over.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a large building formerly occupied by a ruler and fortified against attack
- noun a large and stately mansion
- verb move the king two squares toward a rook and in the same move the rook to the square next past the king
- noun interchanging the positions of the king and a rook
- noun (chess) the piece that can move any number of unoccupied squares in a direction parallel to the sides of the chessboard
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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The word castle evolved from the Latin word castrum meaning a closed fort or stronghold.
Recently Uploaded Slideshows guest78d73274 2009
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From what I have seen the castle is already finished.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Sneak Peek at the Forbidden Journey | /Film 2010
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We soon discovered that the word "castle" on a map did not always signify some Camelot-like fortress, or even a modest ruin.
The House Impregnable Stephen Brumwell 2011
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I believe the castle is about to crumble and republicans and democrats alike (those that actually believe that integrity still means something) will be disgusted.
Think Progress » DeLay Hysterics: Indictment Among the Most Baseless “in American History” 2005
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Opposite the castle is a long, broad lawn, and at the end of it a cherry orchard, where I remember having frequently eaten excellent cherries.
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On top of the castle is a beautiful garden, full of rare plants and handsome trees and shrubbery.
Six Months in Mexico 1888
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At the back of the castle is the Military Academy, or
Six Months in Mexico 1888
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Just below the castle is a mill and a liquor-factory, which are his property; the game and the fish, also, are his; and, in fact, he is lord of all he surveys.
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Ere long news reached Esopus, that the savages were building another fort, which they called a castle, about thirty-six miles southwest of
Peter Stuyvesant, the Last Dutch Governor of New Amsterdam 1841
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The change, indeed, was an unpleasant one, from a large, commodious house, to what they called a castle, which was, in fact, a most loathsome prison.
Memoirs of Aaron Burr Davis, Matthew L 1836
chained_bear commented on the word castle
A properly fortified military residence, derived from Latin castellum.
August 24, 2008
bilby commented on the word castle
"Castles were good for keeping out the enemy, but there were few other benefits from living in a large damp pile of stones, and as times grew more peaceful from around the 16th century, the landed gentry started to build fine residences - known simply as 'country houses'."
- multiple authors, 'Great Britain' (Lonely Planet guide).
September 28, 2008