Look up: Cheval-de-frise

1. 
   Cheval de Frise
   The Cheval de Frise (horse of Friesland) was the fore-runner of barbed wire entanglements used in warfare. It was a fortification comprised of timber pierced and traversed with wooden spikes pointed with iron five or six feet long and used for stopping a breach, defending a passage or making entrenchments to stop cavalry. They were first used by the Prince of Orange in the siege of Groningen, Friesland in 1594 from whence the name.
   Found on http://www.encyclo.co.uk/nol.php
   
   
2. 
   Cheval de Frise
   Portable barrier of sword blades used to block breaches. Could also be made of stake- or sword studded beams.
   Found on http://www.southessex.co.uk/
   
   
3. 
   Cheval de frise
   The `cheval de frise` (plural: `chevaux de frise`) was a Mediaeval defensive obstacle consisting of a portable frame (sometimes just a simple log) covered with many long iron or wooden spikes or even actual spears. They were principally intended as an anti-cavalry obstacle but could also be moved quickly to help block a breach in another barrier. They remained in occasional use until they were replaced by wire obstacles just after the American Ci...
   Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheval_de_f
   
   
4. 
   cheval-de-frise
   [n] - defensive structure consisting of a movable obstacle composed of barbed wire or spikes attached to a wooden frame
   Found on http://www.webdictionary.co.uk/definitio
   
   
5. 
   Cheval-de-frise
   Che·val'-de-frise' noun ; commonly used in the plural Chevaux-de- frise . [ F.; cheval horse + Frise Friesland, where it was first used.] (Mil.) A piece of timber or an iron barrel traversed with iron-pointed spikes or spears, five or six feet long, used to defend a passage, stop a breach, or impede the advance of cavalry, etc. « Obstructions of chain, ...
   Found on http://www.encyclo.co.uk/webster/C/62
   
   
6. 
   cheval-de-frise
   chevaux-de-frise noun defensive structure consisting of a movable obstacle composed of barbed wire or spikes attached to a wooden frame; used to obstruct cavalry
   Found on http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?
   
   
7. 
   Cheval-de-frise
   • (n.) A piece of timber or an iron barrel traversed with iron-pointed spikes or spears, five or six feet long, used to defend a passage, stop a breach, or impede the advance of cavalry, etc.
   Found on http://thinkexist.com/dictionary/meaning