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Rear door or gate
Answer for the clue "Rear door or gate ", 7 letters:
postern
Alternative clues for the word postern
Word definitions for postern in dictionaries
WordNet
Word definitions in WordNet
n. a small gate in the rear of a fort or castle
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Postern \Pos"tern\, a. Back; being behind; private. ``The postern door.'' --Dryden.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
late 13c., "back door, private door," from Old French posterne "side or rear gate," earlier posterle , from Late Latin posterula "small back door or gate," diminutive of Latin posterus "that is behind, coming after, subsequent," from post "after" (see post- ...
Wiktionary
Word definitions in Wiktionary
a. Situated at the rear; posterior. n. A back gate, back door, side entrance, or other gateway distinct from the main entrance.
Usage examples of postern.
This duty done, Humphrey betook himself to the walls near the postern where he had before noticed William Lorimer apparently deeply engaged in reconnoitring and planning.
Her ladyship now--surely thou knowest she keepeth the postern key herself, and will trust no one with it.
The grooms and the warder at the great gate she will trust, but it is the postern she feareth, because she thinketh an enemy might be secretly admitted there.
He might be sped to his death awaiting the opening of the postern while her ladyship was coming with the key.
Then Lady De Aldithely with a relieved smile gave him the postern key and he withdrew.
Its postern gate was toward the east, the great gate being on the northwest.
From the postern Hugo and Humphrey were to set out and follow along down the river toward Selby.
Hugo and Humphrey issue from the postern gate, cross the bridge over the moat, and ride away into the wood, which they struck a quarter of a mile south of him.
He snapped the chain that bound him, and leading him by the collar to the postern gate opened it and let down the bridge.
De Aldithely and Josceline, mounted for their journey, going out at the postern gate at the head of the train of sumpter mules and attended by the band of serving-men and men-at-arms.
For, while the moat at the great gate held only its usual allowance of water, by means of the new dam they had constructed, that part of the moat near the postern was level full.
Presently to Robert Sadler the light of a torch revealed the postern gate ajar.
Birds of prey were screaming above the moat near the postern, and there was a stillness about the place that would have argued desertion if the flag had not still floated from one of the towers.
Turning again toward the postern, they noted the drawbridge there, and wondered to see it down.
At once three of the artisans were hurried across the postern bridge and through the gate with instructions to hasten to the front entrance and let down the bridge and open the great gate for the king.