portcullis

[ pawrt-kuhl-is, pohrt- ]
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noun
  1. (especially in medieval castles) a strong grating, as of iron, made to slide along vertical grooves at the sides of a gateway of a fortified place and let down to prevent passage.

Origin of portcullis

1
1300–50; Middle English portecolys<Middle French porte coleice, equivalent to porteport4 + coleice, feminine of coleis flowing, sliding <Vulgar Latin *cōlātīcius;see coulee, -itious

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British Dictionary definitions for portcullis

portcullis

/ (pɔːtˈkʌlɪs) /


noun
  1. an iron or wooden grating suspended vertically in grooves in the gateway of a castle or fortified town and able to be lowered so as to bar the entrance

Origin of portcullis

1
C14 port colice, from Old French porte coleïce sliding gate, from porte door, entrance + coleïce, from couler to slide, flow, from Late Latin cōlāre to filter

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