portcullis

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English

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

Alternative forms

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

Noun

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

Verb

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

Further reading

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