| 释义 |
▪ I. countermure, n.|ˈkaʊntəmjʊə(r)|
Also 6 contremeur, contermure, 6–7 countremure, 7 (counter-mire), 7–8 contramure.
[ad. F. contre-mur (16th c.), in It. and Sp. contramuro, f. contre, contra = counter- 8 + mur, muro wall.]
1. Mil. A wall raised within or behind another wall as a reserve defence, in case of its being breached.
1524St. Papers Hen. VIII, VI. 355 Ther was diches trenchis contremeurs bulwarkes and other repares made within the wall. 1553Brende Q. Curtius G viij, But they within made a countermure as highe as the olde wall. 1653H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xliv. 261 Fortifying themselves with counter-mires which they opposed to the breaches..made with pieces of timber taken from the houses. 1836Thirlwall Greece III. xx. 146 The main hope of the Peloponnesians..was completely defeated by the countermure.
2. An outer wall for additional defence.
a1552Leland Collect. III. 145 Promurale, a countermure. 1599Hakluyt Voy. II. 308 The city hath a three⁓folde wall about it; the innermost very high..the third a countermure. 1703T. N. City & C. Purchaser 117 Contramure..an Out-wall, built about the Wall of a City. 1755in Johnson. 1813Hogg Queen's Wake 292 With countermure guarded by sea and by land.
†b. Applied to a breakwater. Obs.
1610Holland Camden's Brit. i. 755 The Iland Walney as a forefence or countre-mure lying along by it. 1644Sir H. Slingsby Diary (1836) 126 Wawne Iseland wch is a narrow screed of land lying before Fourness and serving for a countermure to hold off y⊇ violence of y⊇ sea. 1645Ibid. 164 Cross piles..fasten'd to y⊇ whole work..as a countermure to receive y⊇ force of y⊇ water.
3. A mound or wall raised outside the walls of a fortress by the besiegers to assist their operations.
1553Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 13 They rowled before them a bulwarke or countremure of earth, in maner as bigge as a mountayne, which..they moued neare vnto the trenche or ditche of the castell, so that they..battered the walles and towres thereof very sore. 1600Holland Livy x. ix. 357 It was impregnable, either by assault, or countermures & skonces. 1627May Lucan i. Annot., Insomuch that Cæsar to besiedge the conquered, made a countermure of dead carkasses.
4. fig. (cf. bulwark, rampart.)
1580Apol. Pr. Orange in Phenix (1721) I. 476 A Countermure against their Pride and Rashness. 1604Supplic. Masse Priests 1 Either kingdom being such a fortres and countermure to other. 1661Wither (title), A Triple Paradox affixed to a Countermure raised against the Furious Batteries of Restraint, Slander, and Poverty.
▪ II. countermure, v.|ˌkaʊntəˈmjʊə(r)|
[a. F. contre-murer, It. contramurare (16th c.), f. the n.: see prec.]
a. trans. To fortify or defend with a countermure.
b. intr. To raise a countermure.
c1594Kyd Sp. Trag. iii. in Hazl. Dodsley V. 91 Where, countermur'd with walls of diamond, I find the place impregnable. 1627–47Feltham Resolves (ed. 7) 329 The falling of a house is more perillous than the rising of a flood..[in] the latter..there being time either to avoid the place, or to countermure. 1665Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1677) 189 A running trench..countermur'd with a thick wall of stone. |