A fortification consisting of an embankment, often with a parapet built on top.
A means of protection or defense; a bulwark. See Synonyms at bulwark.
tr.v.
ram·part·ed, ram·part·ing, ram·parts
To defend with a rampart.
[French rempart, from Old French, from remparer, to fortify : re-, re- + emparer, to fortify, take possession of (from Old Provençal amparar, from Vulgar Latin *ante parāre, to prepare : Latin ante-, ante- + Latin parāre, to prepare; see perə-1 in Indo-European roots).]
1583, from M.Fr. rempart, from remparer "to fortify," from re- "again" + emparer "fortify, take possession of," from O.Prov. amparer, from V.L. *anteparare "prepare," prop. "to make preparations beforehand," from L. ante- "before" (see ante) + parare "prepare" (see pare).
an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes; "they stormed the ramparts of the city"; "they blew the trumpet and the walls came tumbling down"
Rampart, AK (CDP, FIPS 64820) Location: 65.38363 N, 150.01120 W Population (1990): 68 (42 housing units) Area: 604.3 sq km (land), 21.9 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 99767
Bul"wark\, n. [Akin to D. bolwerk, G. bollwerk, Sw. bolwerk, Dan. bolv["a]rk, bulv["a]rk, rampart; akin to G. bohle plank, and werk work, defense. See Bole stem, and Work, n., and cf. Boulevard.]1. (Fort.) A rampart; a fortification; a bastion or outwork. 2. That which secures against an enemy, or defends from attack; any means of defense or protection. The royal navy of England hath ever been its greatest defense, . . . the floating bulwark of our island. --Blackstone. 3. pl. (Naut.) The sides of a ship above the upper deck. Syn: See Rampart.
Ram"part\, n. [F. rempart, OF. rempar, fr. remparer to fortify, se remparer to fence or intrench one's self; re- re- pref. + pref. en- (L. in) + parer to defend, parry, prepare, L. parare to prepape. See Pare.]1. That which fortifies and defends from assault; that which secures safety; a defense or bulwark. 2. (Fort.) A broad embankment of earth round a place, upon which the parapet is raised. It forms the substratum of every permanent fortification. --Mahan. Syn: Bulwark; fence; security; guard. Usage: Rampart, Bulwark. These words were formerly interchanged; but in modern usage a distinction has sprung up between them. The rampart of a fortified place is the enceinte or main embankment or wall which surrounds it. The term bulwark is now applied to peculiarly strong outworks which project for the defense of the rampart, or main work. A single bastion is a bulwark. In using these words figuratively, rampart is properly applied to that which protects by walling out; bulwark to that which stands in the forefront of danger, to meet and repel it. Hence, we speak of a distinguished individual as the bulwark, not the rampart, of the state. This distinction, however, is often disregarded.