bulwark

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

[edit] English

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Bulwark

Wikipedia

[edit] Etymology

Middle High German, cognate with German Bollwerk, Danish bolværk, Dutch bolwerk. The first part is akin to bole. Cognates include French boulevard (from Dutch) and Spanish baluarte.

[edit] Pronunciation

• enPR: /bo͝ol'wərk/, /bo͝ol'wôrk/, IPA: /ˈbʊlwɝk/, /ˈbʊlwɔɹk/, SAMPA: /"bUlw@`k/, /"bUlwOrk/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

bulwark (plural bulwarks)

1. A defensive wall or rampart.
2. A defense or safeguard.
3. A breakwater.
4. (nautical) The planking or plating along the sides of a nautical vessel above her gunwale that reduces the likelihood of seas washing over the gunwales and people being washed overboard.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to bulwark (third-person singular simple present bulwarks, present participle bulwarking, simple past and past participle bulwarked)

1. (transitive) To fortify something with a wall or rampart.
2. (transitive) To provide protection of defense for something.