ranjaun.

1783 W. Marsden Hist. Sumatra 278 Ranjows are sharp pointed stakes of bamboo, of different lengths, stuck into the ground, in order to penetrate the naked feet, or body, of an enemy.

1821 Asiatic Jrnl. & Monthly Reg. Sept. 218/1 The whole is surrounded by an Abbalis of briers, and well planted with Ranjaus.

1839 T. J. Newbold Polit. & Statist. Acct. Straits of Malacca II. xii. 210 A Malay considers himself completely armed with..the tombak (spear), and a quiver of ranjows, or caltrops, at his back.

1934 in J. M. Gullick They came to Malaya (1993) 290 The enemy could not storm our stockades because of the ‘ranjaus’ (sharp stakes driven into the ground to pierce the feet) made of bamboo and as sharp as razors.

1936 G. B. Gardner Keris x. 118 While the chiefs might have used horses for purposes of display, on account of the ranjau or pointed stakes planted in the passes they could not have been employed effectively.

1998 New Straits Times (Malaysia) (Nexis) 4 Oct. 5 Hunters make weapons like ranjau..or cross bows from it [sc. bamboo].

2004 J. Knight Wildlife in Asia viii. 151 When hunting in groups, men use ranjau—sharp bamboo pikes of one metre in length, which are stuck slanting into the ground.