breastwork

breastwork
breastwork "fieldwork thrown up breast-high for defense," 1640s, from BREAST (Cf. breast) (n.) + WORK (Cf. work) (n.) in "fortification" sense. O.E. had breostweall in same sense.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Breastwork — may mean: #A form of temporary fortification Breastwork (fortification). #Surgical alteration of the breast Breast implant …   Wikipedia

  • Breastwork — Breast work (br[e^]st w[^u]rk ), n. 1. (Fort.) A defensive work of moderate height, hastily thrown up, of earth or other material. [1913 Webster] 2. (Naut.) A railing on the quarter deck and forecastle. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • breastwork — *bulwark, bastion, parapet, rampart …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • breastwork — [brest′wʉrk΄] n. a low wall put up quickly as a defense in battle …   English World dictionary

  • breastwork — noun a) a fortification consisting of a breast high bulwark; a parapet A swarthy boy opened a book and propped it nimbly under the breastwork of his satchel. He recited jerks of verse with odd glances at the text: <! This is just a metaphor b) …   Wiktionary

  • Breastwork monitor — The term breastwork monitor was used as a description of a number of ships designed by Sir Edward Reed, the Chief Constructor of the Royal Navy between 1863 and 1870.The term monitor was directly derived from the American ship of that name, the… …   Wikipedia

  • Breastwork (fortification) — A breastwork is a fortification. The term is usually applied to temporary fortifications, often an earthwork thrown up to breast height to provide protection to defenders firing over it from a standing position. A more permanent structure,… …   Wikipedia

  • breastwork — noun Date: 1642 a temporary fortification …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • breastwork — /brest werrk /, n. Fort. a defensive work, usually breast high. [1635 45; BREAST + WORK] * * * …   Universalium

  • breastwork — Synonyms and related words: abatis, advanced work, arch dam, backstop, balistraria, bamboo curtain, bank, banquette, bar, barbed wire entanglement, barbican, barrage, barricade, barrier, bartizan, bastion, battlement, bear trap dam, beaver dam,… …   Moby Thesaurus

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