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portcullis

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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A portcullis in Stirling, Scotland
In heraldry, as in the arms of Westminster, portcullises are often depicted with chains attached.

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English portcolyse, from Old French porte colëice, from porte (“door”) + feminine of colëiz (“sliding”), ultimately from Latin colāre.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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portcullis (plural portcullises or portcullisses or (rare) portculli or (rare) portscullis)

  1. A gate in the form of a grating which is lowered into place at the entrance to a castle, fort, etc.
  2. (historical) An old English coin from the reign of Elizabeth I, minted for the use of the East India Company, and bearing the picture of a portcullis on the reverse.

Translations

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Verb

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portcullis (third-person singular simple present portcullises or portcullisses, present participle portcullising or portcullissing, simple past and past participle portcullised or portcullissed)

  1. (usually passive) To obstruct with, or as with, a portcullis; to shut; to bar.

References

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Further reading

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