castle

¹

[kas-uhl, kah-suhl]

noun

1. a fortified, usually walled residence, as of a prince or noble in feudal times.

   Synonyms: citadel, fortress

2. the chief and strongest part of the fortifications of a medieval city.

3. a strongly fortified, permanently garrisoned stronghold.

4. a large and stately residence, especially one, with high walls and towers, that imitates the form of a medieval castle.

   Synonyms: château, palace

5. any place providing security and privacy.

   It may be small, but my home is my castle.

6. Chess.,  the rook.

verb (used with object)

castled, castling 

1. to place or enclose in or as in a castle.

2. Chess.,  to move (the king) in castling.

verb (used without object)

Chess.

castled, castling 

1. to move the king two squares horizontally and bring the appropriate rook to the square the king has passed over.

2. (of the king) to be moved in this manner.

Castle

²

[kas-uhl, kah-suhl]

noun

1. Irene (Foote), 1893–1969, born in the U.S., and her husband and partner Vernon (Vernon Castle Blythe ), 1887–1918, born in England, U.S. ballroom dancers.

castle

/ ˈkɑːsəl /

noun

1. a fortified building or set of buildings, usually permanently garrisoned, as in medieval Europe

2. any fortified place or structure

3. a large magnificent house, esp when the present or former home of a nobleman or prince

4. the citadel and strongest part of the fortifications of a medieval town

5. chess another name for rook 2

verb

1. chess to move (the king) two squares laterally on the first rank and place the nearest rook on the square passed over by the king, either towards the king's side ( castling short ) or the queen's side ( castling long )

Other Word Forms

• castlelike adjective
• uncastled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of castle¹

before 1000; Middle English, Old English castel < Latin castellum castellum

Word History and Origins

Origin of castle¹

C11: from Latin castellum, diminutive of castrum fort

Example Sentences

After all that, spare a thought for the ones who went into the castle with no friends at all.

Read more on BBC

A total of £3m has now been raised in grant funding, and in the new year, work will begin to restore the floors and roof to the 75% of the castle that is mostly derelict.

Read more on BBC

Vanity Fair, which covered the weekend, described guests arriving by horse-drawn carriage for a dinner and flamenco party, and there were also cultural tours of castles and art galleries.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

TV sports presenter Clare Balding became the latest celebrity to be banished from the castle.

Read more on BBC

The manuscript reveals a gothic, green castle, with decadent arches, spires and buttresses — the very castle on the stage.

Read more on Los Angeles Times