parados

[par-uh-dos]

noun Fortification.

a bank of earth built behind a trench or military emplacement to protect soldiers from a surprise attack from the rear.

Origin of parados

From French, dating back to 1825–35; see origin at para-², reredos

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for parados

Historical Examples of parados

A 59 had burst on the parados of our trench, and caused—as 59's usually did—a bit of a mess.
500 of the Best Cockney War Stories
Various
"Blimey, I can't stick this," and perched himself on the parados.
500 of the Best Cockney War Stories
Various
He struggled to his feet and leaned over the parados with me.
The Secret Battle
A. P. Herbert
The work was: repair of parapet and parados knocked in by recent shelling.
At Ypres with Best-Dunkley
Thomas Hope Floyd
I stood on the parados of Liverpool Trench and watched with amazement.
At Ypres with Best-Dunkley
Thomas Hope Floyd

British Dictionary definitions for parados

parados

noun

a bank behind a trench or other fortification, giving protection from being fired on from the rear

Word Origin for parados

C19: from French, from para- ² + dos back, from Latin dorsum; compare parasol, parapet

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for parados

"rear wall of a trench," 1917, earlier "elevation behind a fortified place" (1853), literally "defense from the back," from French parados, from para- "defense" (see para- (2)) + dos "back" (see dossier).