caltrop
IPA: kˈæɫtrʌp
noun
- (weaponry) A small, metal object with spikes arranged so that, when thrown onto the ground, one always faces up as a threat to pedestrians, horses, and vehicles (also used as a heraldic charge).
- (colloquial) The starthistle, Centaurea calcitrapa, a plant with sharp thorns.
- Any of a number of flowering plants in the family Zygophyllaceae, including several members of the genus Kallstroemia and the species Tribulus terrestris, native to warm temperate and tropical regions.
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Examples of "caltrop" in Sentences
- I agree with you Joseph, this is a political caltrop.
- Endemic species include water caltrop and lady's slipper.
- In the center is a pagoda with a black and gold caltrop over it.
- The pictures of the items seem consistent with the “caltrop” label.
- The caltrops also hindered the speed of Muslim cavalry and infantry.
- A third alternative uses two staples twisted together to form a caltrop.
- A caltrop has had a variety of symbolic uses and is commonly found in heraldry.
- Sooner or later, the worm forsakes this kind of caltrop which catches on to everything.
- The village sits in Taiwan's breadbasket, a land of flat, expansive rice and sugar-cane fields, lingjiao water caltrop paddies, and banana trees.
- There have been a number of attempts to develop a caltrop like device that will deflate tires in a manner useful to law enforcement agencies or the military.
- These animals may also be captured without aid of gin or caltrop, by sheer coursing in hot summer time; they get so tired, they will stand still to be shot down.
- Speaking of mood, the play's climactic slaughterfest (in which solids, gases, liquids and something called a caltrop all prove excellent murder weapons) inevitably seems funny today.
- Gerard regretted this immediately, for Goatweed was thrown into an agony of indecision, dithering over the lot, finally ending up torn between a rusty caltrop and an old boot missing its heel.
- In some few caterpillars the poison spines take the form of balls armed with short prickles and one large spike; hence they are known as caltrop spines (fig. 2, C), from their likeness to the cruel weapons, known as caltrops, which used to be scattered over the ground in time of war to repel the attacks of cavalry; the spikes forced their way into the horses 'feet when trampled on, and so disabled them.