Crossword clues for halberd
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Halberd \Hal"berd\ (h[o^]l"b[~e]rd; 277), n. [F. hallebarde; of German origin; cf. MHG. helmbarte, G. hellebarte; prob. orig., an ax to split a helmet, fr. G. barte a broad ax (orig. from the same source as E. beard; cf. Icel. bar[eth]a, a kind of ax, skegg beard, skeggja a kind of halberd) + helm helmet; but cf. also MHG. helm, halm, handle, and E. helve. See Beard, Helmet.] (Mil.) An ancient long-handled weapon, of which the head had a point and several long, sharp edges, curved or straight, and sometimes additional points. The heads were sometimes of very elaborate form. [Written also halbert.]
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
late 15c., from Middle French hallebarde (earlier alabarde, 15c.), from Middle High German halmbarte "broad-axe with handle," from halm "handle" (see helm) + barte "hatchet," possibly from Proto-Germanic *bardoz "beard," also "hatchet, broadax." Alternative etymology [Kluge, Darmesteter] traces first element to helm "helmet," making the weapon an axe for smashing helmets.
Wiktionary
n. A hand weapon consisting of a long pole fitted with a metal head; the head consists of a blade similar to an axe and usually a spike or hook.
WordNet
n. a pike fitted with an ax head
Wikipedia
A halberd (also called halbard, halbert or Swiss voulge) is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 14th and 15th centuries. The word halberd may come from the German words Halm (staff), and Barte (axe). In modern-day German, the weapon is called a Hellebarde. The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on a long shaft. It always has a hook or thorn on the back side of the axe blade for grappling mounted combatants. It is very similar to certain forms of the voulge in design and usage. The halberd was usually 1.5 to 1.8 metres (5 to 6 feet) long.
Usage examples of "halberd".
Hard-faced fellows in white-painted breastplates and conical helmets with what looked like horsetails for crests, they ran impassive eyes over the cloaked women, lingering suspiciously a moment on Mat for some reason, and then returned to leaning on their halberds and staring blankly at the road.
Two suits of armour of the surcoatless period guarded the entrance, and several shields, pikes, halberds, and gisarmes were arranged upon the wall above the high plaster mantelpiece.
First rode the dragoons with their standards and kettledrums, then the javelin-men with their halberds, and behind them the line of coaches full of the high dignitaries of the law.
As Akeela approached, they uncrossed their halberds and bowed, then turned to open the creaking portals, revealing a large, dark chamber.
The viceregal guard kept the beggars at bay with a wall of crossed halberds.
Bandar could imagine Malabar and the angry hydromants, standing along the south wall, eyeing the darkness beyond the shantytown and waiting for the first glint of spear and halberd in the grip of massive Bololos who were themselves no less in the grasp of an archetypical holy violence.
Her heart slithered up into her throat and she only recognized the apparition one thin moment before young Millward shoved the spiked head of his halberd into the intruders guts.
Her hand closed on something, but it was only the butt of dead Millwards halberd, a length of splintered wood.
They had now, however, been removed, nor was there any token of the troublous times save a single heap of pikes and halberds piled together in a corner.
The sixty or seventy men tending cookfires or sitting on wooden stools looked like farmers in their rough coats, but some were sharpening swords, and spears and halberds and other polearms stood stacked in a dozen places.
Hari Coplin swung his halberd in defense of his brother, mouth wide in a seemingly soundless shout.
A bunch of reenactor punks with rusty halberds was another way to describe them.
Like steel-clad champions ranged for war, With halberds and with golden helms, there stood it now On guard around the sanctuary of the god.
I have trained men to use the broadsword, greatsword, dagger and buckler, maul, flail, mace, the halberd, and the war axe.
But they attended their duty even in sorrow, dropped halberds and lances across the paths of the six companions.