abatis

American  

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

noun

• abatis,
  plural
• abatises
  plural

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.

---

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

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• abatis
  plural
• abatises
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of abatis

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

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

abatis

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

From Washington Post ● Sep. 17, 2021

"The impetuosity of the attack carried all before it, and within nine minutes from the time the abatis was passed the work was gained."

From Homes of American Statesmen With Anecdotical, Personal, and Descriptive Sketches by Various

Count Donop, with the other column, in attempting the south side of the redoubt, had passed the abatis when a similar tempest of artillery and musketry burst upon them.

From The Student's Life of Washington; Condensed from the Larger Work of Washington Irving For Young Persons and for the Use of Schools by Washington Irving

At this moment a great explosion shook the abatis, and a hoarse voice was heard crying out, "Ah, my God!"

From The Invasion of France in 1814 by Alexandre Chatrian

It may be an entanglement, an abatis, an inundation: anything that will check the rush and make him move slowly.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 6 "Foraminifera" to "Fox, Edward" by Various

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---