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cuirass

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.02 sec.
cui·rass  (kw-rs)
n.
1.
a. A piece of armor for protecting the breast and back.
b. The breastplate alone.
2. A defense or protection: "A carefully primped irony, that cuirass of art in the early Eighties, is necessarya distance so affected as to constitute a hopeless impediment to feeling" (Robert Hughes).
3. Zoology A protective covering of bony plates or scales.
tr.v. cui·rassed, cui·rass·ing, cui·rass·es
To protect with a cuirass.

[Middle English curas, from Old French curasse, probably alteration (influenced by Old French cuir, leather) of Old Provençal coirassa, from Late Latin coricea (vestis), leather (garment), feminine of coriceus, from Latin corium, hide; see sker-1 in Indo-European roots.]

cuirass [kwɪˈræs]
n
1. (Military / Arms & Armour (excluding Firearms)) a piece of armour, of leather or metal covering the chest and back
2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Zoology) a hard outer protective covering of some animals, consisting of shell, plate, or scales
3. (Transport / Nautical Terms) any similar protective covering, as on a ship
vb
(Military / Arms & Armour (excluding Firearms)) (tr) to equip with a cuirass
[from French cuirasse, from Late Latin coriacea, from coriaceus made of leather, from Latin corium leather]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.cuirass - medieval body armor that covers the chest and backcuirass - medieval body armor that covers the chest and back
backplate - plate armor protecting the back; worn as part of a cuirass
body armor, body armour, cataphract, coat of mail, suit of armor, suit of armour - armor that protects the wearer's whole body
Translations
cuirass
nKürass m, → Brustharnisch m


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He is cased in a cuirass of double-fold deer skin, and carries a bull's hide shield; he is forked in a Moorish saddle, high before and behind; his feet are thrust into wooden box stirrups, of Moorish fashion, and a tremendous pair of iron spurs, fastened by chains, jingle at his heels.
First he greaved his legs with greaves of good make and fitted with ancle-clasps of silver; after this he donned the cuirass of his brother Lycaon, and fitted it to his own body; he hung his silver-studded sword of bronze about his shoulders, and then his mighty shield.
There was a steel head-piece, a cuirass, a gorget and greaves, with a pair of gauntlets and a sword hanging beneath; all, and especially the helmet and breastplate, so highly burnished as to glow with white radiance, and scatter an illumination everywhere about upon the floor.
 
 
 
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