drawbridge

American  

[draw-brij] / ˈdrɔˌbrɪdʒ /

noun

1. a bridge of which the whole or a section may be drawn up, let down, or drawn aside, to prevent access or to leave a passage open for boats, barges, etc.

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drawbridge British  

/ ˈdrɔːˌbrɪdʒ /

noun

1. a bridge that may be raised to prevent access or to enable vessels to pass

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Etymology

Origin of drawbridge

First recorded in 1300–50, drawbridge is from the Middle English word drawebrigge. See draw, bridge ¹

Explanation

In olden times, if you lived in a castle, you might have a drawbridge that could be raised and lowered depending on whether or not you wanted to let people cross your moat. A drawbridge gets its name from the fact that it could be "drawn up," or raised, to keep intruders or unwanted visitors away from a tower or castle. The typical medieval drawbridge spanned a deep, wide moat (a trench filled with water). This moveable wooden bridge was usually attached to a guarded gatehouse and could be raised and lowered fairly easily with ropes or chains.

Example Sentences

Ants crossed a small Lego drawbridge onto a test surface, which consisted of an A4 sheet placed over acrylic.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

Those ties were broken when he walked away and pulled up the drawbridge behind him.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026

In any case, simply pulling up the drawbridge, hoisting the “independence” flag, and pouring boiling scorn on the barbarians at the gate isn’t a viable response.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 21, 2025

"I keep thinking, we haven't got enough money to do everything for everybody," Mrs O'Neil said and "maybe we need to pull up the drawbridge, even if just for a little bit".

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2025

The drawbridge was lowered and the portcullis raised, and just inside the whole company of the household stood to receive them.

From "The Door in the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli