abatis

American  

[ab-uh-tee, -tis, uh-bat-ee, uh-bat-is] / ˈæb əˌti, -tɪs, əˈbæt i, əˈbæt ɪs /

noun

plural

abatis, abatises

1. an obstacle or barricade of trees with bent or sharpened branches directed toward an enemy.

2. a barbed wire entanglement used as an obstacle or barricade against an enemy.

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abatis British  

/ ˈæbətiː, ˈæbətɪs /

noun

1. a rampart of felled trees bound together placed with their branches outwards

2. a barbed-wire entanglement before a position

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Etymology

Origin of abatis

1760–70; < French; Old French abateis < Vulgar Latin *abatteticius, derivative of Old French abattre ( abate )

Example Sentences

The defenses consisted of two lines of abatis and a line of earthworks manned by Brig.

From Washington Post • Sep. 17, 2021

Infantry was up most of the night felling trees and building an abatis on the other side of river.

From An Artilleryman's Diary by Jones, Jenkins Lloyd

His pioneers were to be equipped to destroy the enemy's abatis.

From The Boys of '61 or, Four Years of Fighting, Personal Observations with the Army and Navy by Coffin, Charles Carleton

They were now exactly opposite the Death Angle and only a few yards from the abatis.

From Vermont riflemen in the war for the union, 1861 to 1865 A history of Company F, First United States sharp shooters by Ripley, William Y. W.

Nevertheless, the old hunter, before returning to the abatis, wished to have his mind set quite at rest.

From The Invasion of France in 1814 by Chatrian, Alexandre