The Collaborative International Dictionary
Arbalest \Ar"ba*lest\, Arbalist \Ar"ba*list\, n. [OF. arbaleste,
LL. arbalista, for L. arcuballista; arcus bow + ballista a
military engine. See Ballista.] (Antiq.)
A crossbow, consisting of a steel bow set in a shaft of wood,
furnished with a string and a trigger, and a mechanical
device for bending the bow. It served to throw arrows, darts,
bullets, etc. [Written also arbalet and arblast.]
--Fosbroke.
Wiktionary
n. (qualifier: obsolete except historical) A wooden crossbow with a special drawing mechanism, used to fire bolts, stones etc.
Usage examples of "arblast".
Nevertheless, thou soul of suspicion, I tell thee, the fair owner of the ring now sent to so unworthy a vassal, in whom there is neither truth nor courage, is not more distant from this place than this arblast can send a bolt.
On the other hand, the arblast was in no haste, but was adjusted deliberately--so deliberately that it gave rise to a proverb, 'A fool's bolt is soon shot.
Where they wanted cover they had left the trees alone, and only the daylong ponderous duel between mangon and arblast had spattered the branches with shot and littered the snow with splintered boughs.
Here be two arblasts, comrades, with windlaces and quarrells1—to the barbican with you, and see you drive each bolt through a Saxon brain.
They are forbidden by our statutes to take one bird by means of another, to shoot beasts with bow or arblast, to halloo to a hunting-horn, or to spur the horse after game.