Abatis definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

“

Konigstein fire will cover your bridge and your building of it Monday night next, I say, post yourselves there, with hearts resolute, with powder dry; there, about the eastern roots of the Lilienstein [beautiful Show Mountain, with stair-steps cut on it for Tourist people, by August the Strong], and avoid the Prussian battery and abatis which is on it just now!

—History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 17

View all »
Definitions (3)

American Heritage Dictionary (1)

noun A defensive obstacle made by laying felled trees on top of each other with branches, sometimes sharpened, facing the enemy.

Century Dictionary (1)

GNU Webster's 1913

WordNet (1)

Elsewhere on the web

View all »
Examples (50)

A hail of arrows would greet the Enemy as he tried to force the abatis, and cauldrons of pitch were already mounted on the walls, ready to pour down upon the few who might cross the moat itself. — Rachel Lee - Shadows of Destiny
The Austrians make stiff fight; have abatis, multiplex defences; and Mollendorf has a furious wrestle with this last remnant, holding out wonderfully,-- till at length the abatis itself catches fire, in the musketry, and they have to surrender. — History of Friedrich II of Prussia
Slipping swiftly away from the abatis, she ran right into the big rough hands of a woodcutter. — F ;SF; - vol 104 issue 02 - February 2003
(All accents placed over French vowels are included here, though they are frequently omitted in English) à bas-down with (à bas the profiteers) à-bà abatis, abattis — Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium - Recent changes [en]
The first of these companies he posted on the right, in front of the abatis, in extended order, its right skirting on the adjoining woods and abatis, among which were distributed a few Abenaqui Indians. — The Loyalists of America and Their Times, Vol. 2 of 2 From 1620-1816