The Collaborative International Dictionary
Cheval-de-frise \Che*val"-de-frise"\, n.; commonly used in the pl. Chevaux-de-frise. [F.; cheval horse + Frise Friesland, where it was first used.] (Mil.) A piece of timber or an iron barrel traversed with iron-pointed spikes or spears, five or six feet long, used to defend a passage, stop a breach, or impede the advance of cavalry, etc.
Obstructions of chain, boom, and cheval-de-frise.
--W.
Irving.
WordNet
See cheval-de-frise
n. defensive structure consisting of a movable obstacle composed of barbed wire or spikes attached to a wooden frame; used to obstruct cavalry [syn: chevaux-de-frise]
[also: chevaux-de-frise (pl)]
n. defensive structure consisting of a movable obstacle composed of barbed wire or spikes attached to a wooden frame; used to obstruct cavalry [syn: cheval-de-frise]
Usage examples of "chevaux-de-frise".
Although he might have tried to force his way up the Delaware, the American river defenses were formidable enough to place his whole force at risk, as they included floating batteries, chevaux-de-frise, and other sunken obstructions, and two substantial forts, Fort Mifflin, on Mud Island on the Pennsylvania side, and Fort Mercer, at Red Bank on the New Jersey shore.
The chevaux-de-frise were dangerous to any ships that might run against them, subjected as they would be to the batteries of Fort Mifflin on one side and those of Fort Mercer at Red Bank on the New Jersey shore.
O’Shaughnessy’s, Joshua and Ishmael completed their precariously-balanced chevaux-de-frise of saltshakers, forks, and a folded section of the newspaper, and were now angling two spoons and a much-battered sugarlump into position to create an elaborate double flip that would throw the sugar into Josh’s mug of now cold tea.