| 释义 |
† top-castle Obs.
[Cf. top n.1 9 and castle n. 7.]
An embattled platform at the head of a ship's masts, from which missiles were discharged: later called also top (top n.1 9).
1335Exch. Acc., K.R. 19/14 m. 6 (P.R.O.) In paracione de guerra et arraiamenta cuiusdam magni Navis vocat' la Trinite, vt in Ofcastel, Topcastel et Forcastel... In cordis emptis pro petris tractandis apud Topcastel. xviij d. Rendered, in Nicolas Hist. Royal Navy (1847) II. 170 The ‘Trinity’, of two hundred tons, was prepared for war with an ‘ofcastle, topcastle, and forecastle’; the ‘ofcastle’ being the aftcastle, and the ‘topcastle’ the ‘top’ or stage at the top of the mast; and ropes were bought for pulling stones up to the topcastle. ]13..Coer de L. 2539 Sterne strokes with harde stones Out off the top-castel on hygh. a1400Siege of Troy 695 in Archiv neu. Spr. LXXII. 27 Vche maste hade top castel And asayliþ þe cite harde and wel. 1411Exch. Acc., K.R. 44/17 La barge appelle la Marie de la Toure..ove lapparail..une mast, un trief ove iiij. bonetz, un topchastiell, un seilyerde. c1450Chron. London (Kingsford 1905) 145 Beryng the standard of Seynt Jorge in the topcastell lyke Englissh schippes. 1555Eden Decades 27 The foreshyppe and the sterne, the toppe castel, the maste [etc.].
b. transf. and fig.
1548Udall Erasm. Par. Luke xi. 110 To sytte euen in the high topcastell of true seruyng of God. 1556Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden) 84 There was a man made too tope⁓castelles above the crosse of the stepulle, and there stode with a flagge in hys honde and viij flagges hangynge besyde. 1688R. Holme Armoury iii. xxi. (Roxb.) 252/1 He beareth Vert, the top castle of a Loome, with its pullaces, issueing out of base, Or. |