trou-de-loup
[ trood-l-oo ]
/ ˌtrud lˈu /
noun, plural trous-de-loup [trood-l-oo] /ˌtrud lˈu/. Military.
a conical or pyramidal pit with a pointed stake fixed vertically in the center, rows of which are dug in front of a fortification to hinder an enemy's approach, formerly used chiefly against cavalry.
Words nearby trou-de-loup
trotskyite, trotter, trotting race, trotty, trotyl, trou-de-loup, troubadour, troubadours, troubetzkoy, trouble, trouble man
Origin of trou-de-loup
1780–90; < French: literally, wolf hole
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for trous-de-loup
Beyond the two ditches, were trous-de-loup, or wolf-traps, from twenty to seventy feet apart.
Cuba|Arthur D. Hall
British Dictionary definitions for trous-de-loup
trous-de-loup
/ (ˌtruːdəˈluː) /
noun plural trous-de-loup (ˌtruːdəˈluː)
military any of a series of conical-shaped pits with a stake fixed in the centre, formerly used as protection against enemy cavalry
Word Origin for trous-de-loup
C18: from French, literally: wolf's holes
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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