What is "bricole"

Bricole \Bri*cole"\, n. [F.] (Mil.) A kind of traces with hooks and rings, with which men drag and maneuver guns where horses can not be used.

2. An ancient kind of military catapult.

3. In court tennis, the rebound of a ball from a wall of the court; also, the side stroke or play by which the ball is driven against the wall; hence, fig., indirect action or stroke.

4. (Billiards) A shot in which the cue ball is driven first against the cushion.

n. 1 (context military English) A kind of traces with hooks and rings, used to drag manoeuvre guns where horses cannot be used. 2 (cx military historical English) An ancient kind of military catapult. 3 In court tennis, the rebound of a ball from a wall of the court; also, the side stroke or play by which the ball is driven against the wall; hence, (cx figurative English) an indirect action or stroke. 4 (cx billiards English) A shot in which the cue ball is initially driven against the cushion.

n. medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles [syn: catapult, arbalest, arbalist, ballista, mangonel, onager, trebuchet, trebucket]