Bulwark meaning

bo͝ol'wərk, -wôrk', bŭl'-
The definition of a bulwark is something or someone that provides defense or protection.

An example of a bulwark is a fort.

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The part of a ship's side that is above the upper deck.
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The part of a ship's side that is above the upper deck.
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The part of a ship's side above the deck.
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(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.
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A wall or embankment raised as a defensive fortification; a rampart.
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Something serving as a defense or safeguard.
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A breakwater.
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To fortify with a wall, embankment, or rampart.
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To provide defense or protection for.
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A wall or embankment raised as a defensive fortification; a rampart.
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Something serving as a defense or safeguard.
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A breakwater.
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To fortify with a wall, embankment, or rampart.
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To provide defense or protection for.
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An earthwork or defensive wall; fortified rampart.
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A person or thing serving as a strong defense or protection.
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To provide bulwarks for.
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To be a bulwark to.
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To fortify something with a wall or rampart.
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To provide protection of defense for something.
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To bulwark is defined as to provide protection or defense such as a wall.

An example of to bulwark is to provide shields and gear in a fencing match.

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Origin of bulwark

  • Middle English bulwerk from Middle Dutch bolwerk from Middle High German bolwerc bole plank bhel-2 in Indo-European roots werc work (from Old High German werg- in Indo-European roots)
    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
  • Middle English bulwerk from Middle Dutch bolwerk from Middle High German bolwerc bole plank bhel-2 in Indo-European roots werc work (from Old High German werg- in Indo-European roots)
    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
  • Middle High German, cognate with German Bollwerk, Danish bolværk, Dutch bolwerk. The first part is akin to bole (“trunk of a tree”). Cognates include boulevard (from French boulevard, from Dutch), Spanish baluarte and Italian baluardo.
    From Wiktionary

Bulwark Sentence Examples

  • As a bulwark against the Spanish, the colony was successful, but as an economic experiment it was a failure.

  • The first is the type of a certain a priori view, then regarded as the safest bulwark against infidelity, of which the main tenets were that the being of God was capable of a priori proof, and that, owing to the finitude of our faculties, the attributes and modes of operation of deity were absolutely incomprehensible.

  • The fortress was an important bulwark against English invasion, and the town - which was created a royal burgh by David II.

  • Syracuse was for fifty years, not only, as of old, the bulwark of Europe, but the bulwark of Christendom.

  • The fortress was rebuilt, and after 280 served the Aetolians as a bulwark against Celts and Macedonians.

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Words near bulwark in the Dictionary