(medieval) a large heavy oblong shield protecting the whole body

Usage examples of pavis.

The Count had cross- bowmen of his own and they were protected by pavises, full-length shields carried by a second man to protect the archer while he laboriously wound the cord of the crossbow, but the men throwing the gabions had no protection once their burdens were thrown and eight of them died before the rest realized that the moat really was too deep and that there were not nearly enough gabions.

Because they, too, carried pavises, their rate of fire was lower than that of their opponents, but despite the smaller total size of his army, Sir George actually had more missile troops than the other side did, for he'd recruited them ruthlessly from every tribe.

Sir George's missile troops swung their pavises aside and exposed themselves only when they actually launched one of their own javelins.

Because they, too, carried pavises, their rate of fire was lower than that of their opponents, but despite the smaller total size of his army, Sir George actually had more missile troops than the other side did, for he’d recruited them ruthlessly from every tribe.

Sir George’s missile troops swung their pavises aside and exposed themselves only when they actually launched one of their own javelins.

Black-shafted arrows hissed through the air, slamming into the pavises borne by the men.