Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
chestnut
chestnut blight
chestnut oak
chesty
cheth
Chetnik
chetrum
cheups
cheval-de-frise
cheval glass
chevalet
chevalier
chevet
Cheviot
Cheviot Hills
chèvre
chevron
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

cheval-de-frise

che·val-de-frise [ shə vàl də frz ] (plural che·vaux-de-frise [ shə v də frz ])


noun 
Definition:
 
1. obstacle made of barbed wire: an obstacle consisting of barbed wire or spikes attached to a wooden frame, used to block an advancing enemy force

2. glass or spikes topping wall: a line of jagged glass, nails, or spikes set into masonry on top of a wall to deter intruders

[< French, "horse of Friesland"; from its use by the Frisians, who lacked cavalry, during the siege of Groningen (1594)]
Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft