laager

American  

[lah-ger] / ˈlɑ gər /

Or lager

noun

1. a camp or encampment, especially within a protective circle of wagons.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to arrange or encamp in a laager.

laager British  

/ ˈlɑːɡə /

noun

1. (in Africa) a camp, esp one defended by a circular formation of wagons

2. military a place where armoured vehicles are parked

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verb

1. to form (wagons) into a laager

2. (tr) to park (armoured vehicles) in a laager

Etymology

Origin of laager

1840–50; < Afrikaans laer, earlier lager; cognate with German Lager camp. See lair ¹

Example Sentences

The security estate--a walled-off cluster of houses protected by razor wire, electric fences, motion detectors and guards--is the 21st century laager.

From Time • Feb. 28, 2013

The ancestors of the white Afrikaners, 19th century Dutch settlers, had their own response to overwhelming danger: circling their wagons in an impenetrable laager.

From Time • Feb. 28, 2013

Pistorius lives on a golf estate, which exemplifies all the elements of "semigration" to gated communities and the laager mentality after apartheid.

From The Guardian • Feb. 22, 2013

But it was far from clear last week whether this modern laager would quell South Africa's latest siege of violence or lead to even greater disorder.

From Time Magazine Archive

They lent a hand, and when the team was outspanned and haltered to the disselboom inside a hastily improvised laager, they repaired to the house, carrying provisions with them.

From Grit Lawless by Young, F.E. Mills