Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- Pieces of timber traversed with spikes of iron, or of wood pointed with iron, 5 or 6 feet long, used to defend a passage, stop a breach, form an obstaele to the advance of cavalry, etc.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun defensive structure consisting of a movable obstacle composed of barbed wire or spikes attached to a wooden frame; used to obstruct cavalry
Etymologies
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Examples
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The sorrow was no match for the anger, which had been carefully honed over time, made sharper with each passing year, until it stood like a chevaux-de-frise, capable of fending off even the most daunting attack.
Aching for Always Gwyn Cready 2010
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Fourteen ditches lined with sword-blades and poisoned chevaux-de-frise, fourteen walls bristling with innumerable artillery and as smooth as looking-glasses, were in turn triumphantly passed by that enterprising officer.
Burlesques 2006
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In the dining room of Mrs. O'Shaughnessy's, Joshua and Ishmael completed their precariously-balanced chevaux-de-frise of saltshakers, forks, and a folded section of the newspaper, and were now angling two spoons and a much-battered sugarlump into position to create an elaborate double flip that would throw the sugar into Josh's mug of now cold tea.
Ishmael Barbara Hambly 2000
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In the dining room of Mrs. O'Shaughnessy's, Joshua and Ishmael completed their precariously-balanced chevaux-de-frise of saltshakers, forks, and a folded section of the newspaper, and were now angling two spoons and a much-battered sugarlump into position to create an elaborate double flip that would throw the sugar into Josh's mug of now cold tea.
Ishmael Barbara Hambly 2000
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AFTER the Battle of Germantown, Howe withdrew his whole force into Philadelphia, and some of the military preparations Washington had originally undertaken to protect the capital—the Delaware forts as well as the chevaux-de-frise and gunboats in the river—now hemmed the British in.
Angel in the Whirlwind Benson Bobrick 1997
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Several British vessels, including four large warships, forced their way through the lower line of chevaux-de-frise and began to bombard the fort.
Angel in the Whirlwind Benson Bobrick 1997
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AFTER the Battle of Germantown, Howe withdrew his whole force into Philadelphia, and some of the military preparations Washington had originally undertaken to protect the capital—the Delaware forts as well as the chevaux-de-frise and gunboats in the river—now hemmed the British in.
Angel in the Whirlwind Benson Bobrick 1997
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The chevaux-de-frise were dangerous to any ships that might run against them, subjected as they would be to the batteries of Fort Mifflin on one side and those of Fort Mercer at Red Bank on the New Jersey shore.
Angel in the Whirlwind Benson Bobrick 1997
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Several British vessels, including four large warships, forced their way through the lower line of chevaux-de-frise and began to bombard the fort.
Angel in the Whirlwind Benson Bobrick 1997
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The chevaux-de-frise were dangerous to any ships that might run against them, subjected as they would be to the batteries of Fort Mifflin on one side and those of Fort Mercer at Red Bank on the New Jersey shore.
Angel in the Whirlwind Benson Bobrick 1997
chained_bear commented on the word chevaux-de-frise
See also chevaux de frise, cheval-de-frise. "fr. a large piece of timber, in which is driven a great number of wooden pegs about 6 feet long, 1 1-2 inches in diameter, crossing each other at right angles, and pointed; used to stop breaches, the avenues of a camp, and to obstruct the charges of cavalry." (citation in list description)
October 9, 2008