abatis

/'æbətis/

Thân thiện

A soldier carefully approaches a defensive abatis in the forest.

Definition

Noun: 1. A defensive obstacle: A military fortification or barrier constructed from felled trees, arranged with their sharpened branches (or branches interlaced with barbed wire) pointing outward toward the approaching enemy to impede their advance.

Usage

• The soldiers constructed an abatis across the forest road to block the enemy's path.
• The advancing troops were delayed by a formidable abatis of tangled, sharpened timber.

Advanced Usage

• "To form an abatis": To construct such a defensive barrier.
  • The engineers were ordered to form an abatis along the vulnerable flank of the position.
• The term is primarily used in historical or specific military contexts to describe a type of field fortification common before the widespread use of modern explosives and machinery.

Variants and Related Words

• Abattis: An alternative, less common spelling of the same word.
• Barricade (n): A more general term for any barrier blocking a road or passage.
• Obstacle (n): A broad term for something that blocks one's way or hinders progress.

Synonyms

• Barrier
• Barricade
• Obstruction
• Impediment (in a military context)

Related Phrases/Idioms

• No common idioms or phrasal verbs incorporate this specific, technical term.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a line of defense consisting of a barrier of felled or live trees with branches (sharpened or with barbed wire entwined) pointed toward the enemy

Từ đồng nghĩa

• abattis