wire entanglement

American  

noun

1. a barbed-wire obstacle, usually mounted on posts and zigzagged back and forth along a front, designed to channel, delay, or halt an advance by enemy foot soldiers.

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wire entanglement British  

noun

1. a barrier or obstruction of barbed wire used in warfare

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Etymology

Origin of wire entanglement

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wire entanglement

In October 1916, under fierce enemy fire he succeeded in cutting an Austrian barbed wire entanglement and led a storming party to the capture of an important ridge position.

From Time Magazine Archive

That night the Cabinet threw a barbed wire entanglement and a cordon of troops around the Ballhaus, retired within and hammered out a compromise which did all present much credit.

From Time Magazine Archive

They were immediately successful all along the line except in one spot, where the heavy wire entanglement was not destroyed by the bombardment.

From New York Times Current History; The European War, Vol 2, No. 4, July, 1915 April-September, 1915 by Various

At 3.10 the leading heroes—we were amazed at their daring—actually stood up in order the better to cut through a broad belt of wire entanglement.

From Gallipoli Diary, Volume I by Hamilton, Ian, Sir

It consisted of a strong barbed wire entanglement and a double line of shallow trenches about a foot deep, with concrete machine gun emplacements every 50 yards.

From The Sherwood Foresters in the Great War 1914 - 1919 History of the 1/8th Battalion by Weetman, W. C. C.