Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Observatory \Ob*serv"a*to*ry\, n.; pl. Observatories. [Cf. F. observatoire.]
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A place or building for making observations on the heavenly bodies.
The new observatory in Greenwich Park.
--Evelyn. A building fitted with instruments for making systematic observations of any particular class or series of natural phenomena.
A place, as an elevated chamber, from which a view may be observed or commanded.
(Mil.) A lookout on a flank of a battery whence an officer can note the range and effect of the fire; usually referred to as an observation post.
--Farrow.
Wiktionary
n. a lookout or vantage point
WordNet
n. an elevated post affording a wide view [syn: lookout]
Wikipedia
An observation post, temporary or fixed, is a position from which soldiers can watch enemy movements, to warn of approaching soldiers (such as in trench warfare), or to direct artillery fire. In strict military terminology, an observation post is any preselected position from which observations are to be made - this may include very temporary installations such as a vehicle parked as a roadside checkpoint, or even an airborne aircraft.
Usage examples of "observation post".
Another team would be moving on Hill 712, which was a more obvious place for the Legion to put an observation post.
She might just have a change of mind and return to the observation post instead.
They found a rockpile to rest in before their dash below the observation post.
Chavez was outside the perimeter at a listening/observation post which gave him a good view of the most likely avenue of approach to the rest of the squad, and a covert path back to it, should he have to move.
By the time he'd dismounted and climbed to the royal observation post on the roof, he could see occasional flickers of lightning in the gunmetal sky.
If it was only an observation post, they'd be onto the target before anyone could react, but if there were automatic defenses .
Neither they nor he had entered the village, but had instead studied it from an observation post on the edge of the rice paddies, where the forest began.
The footprints I found at the observation post were inconclusive, but probably not large enough to be a Jem’.
Many fatal incidents occurred when old people or children tried to traverse the tracks and were gunned down from a hidden observation post.