portcullis
[ pawrt-kuhl-is, pohrt- ]
/ pɔrtˈkʌl ɪs, poʊrt- /
noun
(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.
Words nearby portcullis
portal-to-portal pay,
portamento,
portance,
portative,
portative organ,
portcullis,
porte,
porte-cochere,
portend,
portent,
portentous
Example sentences from the Web for portcullis
British Dictionary definitions for portcullis
portcullis
/ (pɔːtˈkʌlɪs) /
noun
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
Word Origin for portcullis
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