trebuchet
/'trebjuʃet/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A medieval siege engine: A trebuchet is a type of military engine used during the Middle Ages to hurl heavy projectiles, such as large stones, at fortifications during a siege. It operates using a counterweight mechanism to generate force.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The army constructed a massive trebuchet to breach the castle walls.
- Museums often display models of historical weapons like the trebuchet.
Advanced Usage
- "to be deployed like a trebuchet": Used metaphorically to describe something that launches or propels with great force.
- His criticism was deployed like a trebuchet, striking the core of the argument with immense power.
Variants and Related Words
- Trebuchets (n): Plural form.
- Catapult (n): A general term for ancient projectile-launching devices, which includes but is not limited to trebuchets. A trebuchet is a specific type of catapult that uses a counterweight.
- Mangonel (n): Another type of medieval torsion-powered catapult, distinct from the counterweight trebuchet.
- Onager (n): A Roman-era torsion-powered catapult, similar to a mangonel.
Synonyms
- Catapult: A broad synonym for siege engines that launch projectiles.
- Siege engine: A general term for large devices used to attack fortified places.
- Ballista: An ancient missile weapon that launched bolts or stones, but typically using torsion rather than a counterweight.
Related Phrases
- Counterweight trebuchet: The most common and powerful type, specifying the mechanism.
- The counterweight trebuchet represented a significant advance in siege technology.
Related Idioms
Noun
- an engine that provided medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles