portcullis

portcullis Definition

port·cul·lis (pôrt kul′is)

noun

a heavy iron grating suspended by chains and lowered between grooves to bar the gateway of a castle or fortified town

Etymology: ME portcoles < MFr porte coleïce < porte, gate + coleïce, fem. of coleis, sliding < L colare, to strain, filter

portcullis Usage Examples

Converse of object

have: There is a substantial Gatehouse, the significant residential part of Pembroke Castle, and a Barbican which once had three portcullises.
raise: They lifted the steel grating, pulling back its securing chain like raising a tiny portcullis.
crown: This appears to have been King Henry's favorite badge and his chapel in Westminster Abbey is decorated with crowned portcullises and roses.
operate: Above the chapel were the Constable's Quarters which features the mechanism for operating the portcullis.
show: The shield shows a castle with three towers and an entrance with a portcullis shown lowered.

Preposition: at

end: Guard chambers flank the main entrance passage, which had murder holes in the vaults an portcullis at each end.

Converse of subject

protect: In addition to the drawbridge there was a long, vaulted gate passage, 50ft long that was protected by two portcullises.

Adjective modifier

heavy: This postern was remarkably strong, having gates of oak, iron doors, and a heavy portcullis.

Modifies a noun

groove: A gateway passage 1.8m wide with portcullis grooves lies near the East End.
gate: We now reach Cook Street Gate, originally a portcullis gate.
house: Portcullis House was subject to an interior inspection in September 2001 that revealed 7,500 defects.
badge: It superseded the simpler chain with a portcullis badge which is now worn by the Mayoress.
slot: About the Museum: Fortified medieval gateway with portcullis slot and early gunports.

Noun used with modifier

Preposition: with

chain: The full designation of the reverse is ' A portcullis with chains royally crowned ' .

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