Hindenburg line

American  

noun

1. a line of elaborate fortifications established by the German army in World War I, near the French-Belgian border, from Lille SE to Metz.

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Hindenburg line British  

/ ˈhɪndənˌbɜːɡ /

noun

1. a line of strong fortifications built by the German army near the Franco-Belgian border in 1916–17: breached by the Allies in August 1918

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Etymology

Origin of Hindenburg line

First recorded in 1915–20; named after P. von Hindenburg

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Hindenburg line

Course, it develops that these noble young gents, before being sent over to buck the Hindenburg line, had all been in one of the companies155 Hartley had trained so successful.

From Torchy and Vee by Ford, Sewell

In this way, both the main system of the Hindenburg line and its outer defenses were rapidly overrun, and tanks and infantry proceeded in accordance with program to the attack upon the Hindenburg reserve line.

From Current History: A Monthly Magazine of the New York Times, May 1918 Vol. VIII, Part I, No. 2 by Various

You'd walk right through that Hindenburg line if you ever got started.

From Tom Slade with the Colors by Clarity, Thomas

The old Hindenburg line having been breached at Bullecourt and Wancourt, the Germans were now busy strengthening their new line of defense which ran through Montigny, Drocourt, and Queant.

From The Story of the Great War, Volume VI (of VIII) History of the European War from Official Sources by Reynolds, Francis J. (Francis Joseph)

Early in the morning of May 20, 1917, a British attack broke into the Hindenburg line between Fontaine-les-Croisilles and Bullecourt, southeast of Arras.

From The Story of the Great War, Volume VI (of VIII) History of the European War from Official Sources by Reynolds, Francis J. (Francis Joseph)