abatis
/ˈabətɪs
/noun (plural abatises) historical
A defence made of felled trees placed lengthwise over each other with the boughs pointing outwards.Union soldiers completed digging a series of ditches that zigzagged forward and reached the abatis....
- There were still labourers out there, struggling to manoeuvre an abatis into position.
- It was a combination of towers, palisades, ditches, abatis, and caltrops to slow the attacking Gauls.
Origin
Mid 18th century: from French, literally 'felled (trees)', from Old French abatre 'to fell' (see abate).
- off-mike
- off-network
- Off-Off
- off-off-Broadway
- off-off Broadway
- off-off-off Broadway
- off one's chump
- off one's face
- off one's feed
- off one's feet
- off one's nana
- off one's nut
- off one's own bat
- off one's rocker
- off one's scone
- off one's trolley
- off (or on) one's game
- off (or on) the bone
- off (or on) the bridle
- off (or out of) form
- off (or out of) one's head
- off (or way off) beam
- off (or wide of) the mark
- off-patent
- off-peak