abatis

IPA: ʌbˈeɪtɪs

A means of defense formed by felled trees, or sometimes by bent trees, the ends of whose branches are sharpened and directed outwards, or against the enemy, and more recently fortified with barbed wire.
(historical) In the Middle Ages, an officer of the stables who had the care of measuring out the provender; an avenor.
In coal-mining, walls of cord-wood piled up crosswise to keep the underground roads open so as to secure ventilation.

Examples of "abatis" in Sentences

They cleared the ground in front of the works, lacing it with abatis.
"abatis" from the fallen trees, while earthworks commanding the position were soon erected.
Get engineers to build Pontoon bridges and abatis, and use sharpshooters to snipe at the enemy from a safe distance.
Her feet, of a kind that painters call abatis, rose above the varnished leather of the shoes in a swelling that was some inches high.
MODs lay minefields, dig AT ditches, emplace demolitions, and create other obstacles, such as abatis or log cribs to block forest roads.
Nivelles highway, and there overflowed in a large pool in front of the abatis of trees which barred the way, at a spot which is still pointed out.
High entanglements (known as abatis) may be made by felling trees toward the enemy, and similar entanglements made of brushwood are useful in emergency.
I mean that the Wilderness woodsmen, without orders from Clay, had converted the entire area that would have to be traversed into a natural death trap, an abatis, a French word my grandfather did not know, nor did I when I first heard it.