CHEVALDEFRISE

Cheval de frise

The cheval de frise was a medieval defensive anti-cavalry measure consisting of a portable frame covered with many projecting long iron or wooden spikes or spears. They were principally intended as an anti-cavalry obstacle but could also be moved quickly to help block a breach in another barrier. They remained in occasional use until they were replaced by wire obstacles just after the American Civil War. During the Civil War, the Confederates used this type barrier more often than the Union forces. During World War I, armies used chevaux de frise to temporarily plug gaps in barbed wire. Chevaux de frise of barbed wire were used in jungle fighting on south ...

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cheval de frise

Noun

  1. An obstacle made of wood with spikes, for use against attacking cavalry.
  2. Protective row of spikes or broken glass set into the top of a wall and used to prevent intrusion.
  3. The jagged edge of 18th-century women's clothing.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: cheval de frise
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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