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bastille
(bas tēl′)
or bastile
noun
- in ancient warfare, a tower for defense or attack; small fortress
- a prison
Origin: ME bastile & Fr bastille, both < OFr bastille, altered < bastide < bastida < fem. pp. of bastir, build, orig., make with bast: see baste
See bastille in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
A prison; a jail.
Origin:
Origin: French
Origin: , from Old French, fortress
Origin: , alteration of bastide
Origin: , from Old Provençal bastida
Origin: , from bastir, to build
Origin: , of Germanic origin
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