Petrary is a generic term for a medieval stone-throwing siege engine (from the Greek `petra`, `stone`), used to hurl large rocks against the walls of the besieged city, in an attempt to break down the wall and create an entry point. Petraries can be either gravity operated, where a large counterweight drops to propel the missile, or tension op...
A stone throwing engine.
contrivance for hurling stones
• (n.) An ancient war engine for hurling stones.
Pet'ra·ry noun [ Latin petra stone. Confer Spanish petraria , and English Pederero .] An ancient war engine for hurling stones.