abattis

noun

Meaning

A defensive obstacle formed by felled trees with their sharpened branches facing the enemy.

Examples

The infantry retreated behind the abattis to regroup under heavy fire.
Engineers constructed an elaborate abattis to slow the enemy's advance across the valley.

Synonyms: barrier, obstacle, entanglement, chevaux-de-frise

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abattis

noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæb.ə.tɪs/

Definition

A defensive obstacle formed by felled trees with their sharpened branches facing the enemy.

Examples

The infantry retreated behind the abattis to regroup under heavy fire.
Engineers constructed an elaborate abattis to slow the enemy's advance across the valley.
The dense abattis proved nearly impossible for the cavalry to penetrate without significant losses.

Synonyms of abattis

Words with a similar meaning to abattis:

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