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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Berm

Berm \Berm\ Berme \Berme\, n. [F. berme, of German origin; cf. G. brame, br["a]me, border, akin to E. brim.]

  1. (Fort.) A narrow shelf or path between the bottom of a parapet and the ditch.

  2. (Engineering) A ledge at the bottom of a bank or cutting, to catch earth that may roll down the slope, or to strengthen the bank.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
berm

"narrow ledge," 1729, from French berme (17c.), from Old Dutch baerm "edge of a dike," probably related to brim (q.v.). In U.S., 19c., also the name for the bank of a canal opposite the tow path.

Wiktionary
berm

n. 1 A narrow ledge or shelf, as along the top or bottom of a slope 2 A raised bank or path, especially the bank of a canal opposite the towpath 3 A terrace formed by wave action along a beach 4 A mound or bank of earth, used especially as a barrier or to provide insulation 5 A ledge between the parapet and the moat in a fortification 6 A strip of land between a street and sidewalk (qualifier: regional) vb. To provide something with a berm

WordNet
berm
  1. n. a narrow ledge or shelf typically at the top or bottom of a slope

  2. narrow edge of land (usually unpaved) along the side of a road [syn: shoulder]

Wikipedia
Berm

A berm is a level space, shelf, or raised barrier separating two areas. It can serve as a border barrier. The word berm originates in the Middle Dutch and German berme and came into usage in English via French.

Usage examples of "berm".

Like a rusty red pimple, the cab of the junked truck stuck out of the base of the twenty-five-foot-high berm wall, facing the highway south.

The berm formed a defensive perimeter around the Willie ville complex.

The slaves, who were kept in hovels outside the berm, were always glad to get their grub.

Hylander asked, keeping back from the edge of the circle, well out of the line of fire of the other berm emplacements.

The small number of muties who handled menial tasks inside the berm were hobbled by chains and shackles on their ankles.

If the stickies broke through the berm and entered the grounds tonight, Elijah wanted his defenders to be able to see them.

It would let groups of stickies break through the berm barrier in specific places, funneling them into prearranged killzones.

Start the patrols in close and have them gradually fan out, but keep them in sight of the berm at all times.

The view from the berm blasterport was due south, down the empty six-lane highway.

They could see the hotel and part of the amusement zone sticking up above the berm line.

The Willie ville slave quarters were built right up against the berm wall.

At the foot of the berm, the sun flared off the chrome bumper of a buried truck.

It ran under the berm at the north end of the ville, near the rear of the hotel.

Once the berm was breached and his army was pouring through the gap, it would be no contest.

They watched the mass of stickies disappear behind the lee of the berm wall.