abattis
- noun
- /əˈbætɪs/
- Archaic
:
abatimiento
- The soldiers constructed an abattis along the ridge to slow the advancing troops.
Examples
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Engineers reinforced the abattis with additional barbed wire to strengthen the defensive line.
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During the siege, defenders relied on a thick abattis to protect their encampment.
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The abattis was built quickly.
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Don't forget the abattis!
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During the siege, defenders relied on a thick abattis to protect their encampment.
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Engineers reinforced the abattis with additional barbed wire to strengthen the defensive line.
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The soldiers constructed an abattis along the ridge to slow the advancing troops.
Synonyms
23
2.7
Materials like wood or wire used to make a barrier around land
2
9.0
A strong fence of upright wooden or metal posts used for protection
1
9.9
A barrier of cut down trees or barbed wire facing an enemy
A fence made from vertical flat pieces of slate wired together
How Strong
Surface Forms
Etymology
Abattis comes from the old French word abattre, which means 'to beat down' or 'to fell' and is related to the English word beat. So an abattis is literally trees beaten or cut down with their sharp branches facing out to form a defence, which is why it means a barrier of felled trees and sharpened branches.