gabion

[ gey-bee-uhn ]

noun

1. a cylinder of wickerwork filled with earth, used as a military defense.
2. a metal cylinder filled with stones and sunk in water, used in laying the foundations of a dam or jetty.

gabion

/ ˈɡeɪbɪən /

noun

1. a cylindrical metal container filled with stones, used in the construction of underwater foundations
2. a wickerwork basket filled with stones or earth, used (esp formerly) as part of a fortification

Word History and Origins

Origin of gabion¹

1570–80; < Middle French: rough, two-handled basket < Italian gabbione, augmentative of gabbia cage < Latin cavea cavity, cage

Word History and Origins

Origin of gabion¹

C16: from French: basket, from Italian gabbione , from gabbia cage, from Latin cavea ; see cage

Example Sentences

Captain Gabion challenged Hookey, who, alone of the three, performed correctly.

From Project Gutenberg

Captain Gabion took me by the elbow, and proposed that we should sojourn at the same hotel.

From Project Gutenberg

Just as he extracted an enormous clasp-knife, I whipped it out of his hand, and passed it to Captain Gabion.

From Project Gutenberg

Captain Gabion, breathing the only execration I ever heard from his lips, choked the skipper off.

From Project Gutenberg

The slight gabion protection for the siege batteries was at first replaced by strong timber shelters.

From Project Gutenberg