breast·work

(brĕst′wûrk′)

A temporary, quickly constructed fortification, usually breast-high. See Synonyms at bulwark.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

breastwork

(ˈbrɛstˌwɜːk)

(Fortifications) fortifications a temporary defensive work, usually breast-high. Also called: parapet

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

breast•work

(ˈbrɛstˌwɜrk)

n.

a hastily erected field fortification.

[1635–45]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

breastwork - fortification consisting of a low wall

parapet

fortification, munition - defensive structure consisting of walls or mounds built around a stronghold to strengthen it

machicolation - a projecting parapet supported by corbels on a medieval castle; has openings through which stones or boiling water could be dropped on an enemy

Translations

breastwork

[ˈbrestwɜːk] N → parapeto m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

They passed within view of a stolid white house, and saw in front of it groups of their com- rades lying in wait behind a neat breastwork. A row of guns were booming at a distant enemy.

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Captain Hollister availed himself of this circumstance to scramble ever the breastwork and obtain a footing in the bastion—for such was the nature of the fortress, as connected with the cave.

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I drew my little troop in among those trees, and placing ourselves in a line behind one long tree, I advised them all to alight, and keeping that tree before us for a breastwork, to stand in a triangle, or three fronts, enclosing our horses in the centre.

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And when our fathers were toiling at the breastwork on Bunker's Hill, all through that night the old warrior walked his rounds.

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The boats and canoes were immediately hauled up, a breastwork was made of them and the packages, forming three sides of a square, with the river in the rear, and thus the party remained fortified throughout the night.

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Between it and the city was no semblance of breastwork or other protection against rifle or cannon fire; yet distinctly now in the light of the rising sun Carthoris could see many figures moving along the summit of the high wall, and upon the roof tops beyond.

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The sides of the ship rose three feet above the upper deck, forming an excellent breastwork, which we loopholed at intervals that we might lie prone and fire upon an enemy.

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First one and then the other would partially raise himself above his breastwork of horseflesh, fire his weapon and immediately drop flat behind his shelter, where he would reload and repeat the act a moment later.

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The autocratic landlady withdrew into the house with Riah and Miss Jenny, and disposed those forces, one on either side of her, within the half-door of the bar, as behind a breastwork.

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The Comte and Comtesse de Vandieres owed their lives to their carriage, behind which Philippe forced them, using it as a breastwork. As for the major and the grenadier, they found their safety in their strength.

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On the level of the ground little archways sometimes pass through this breastwork, by which means the defenders can crawl out to the stockade and reconnoitre their enemies.

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There was the story of Doffue Martling, a large blue-bearded Dutchman, who had nearly taken a British frigate with an old iron nine-pounder from a mud breastwork, only that his gun burst at the sixth discharge.

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