Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
Portcullis — Port*cul lis, n. [OF. porte coulisse, cole[ i]ce, a sliding door, fr. L. colare, colatum, to filter, to strain: cf. F. couler to glide. See {Port} a gate, and cf. {Cullis}, {Colander}.] 1. (Fort.) A grating of iron or of timbers pointed with iron … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Portcullis — Port*cul lis, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Portcullised}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Portcullising}.] To obstruct with, or as with, a portcullis; to shut; to bar. [R.] Shak. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
portcullis — c.1300, from O.Fr. porte coleice sliding gate (c.1200), from porte gate (see PORT (Cf. port) (2)) + coleice sliding, flowing, fem. of coleis, from L. colatus, pp. of colare to filter, strain … Etymology dictionary
portcullis — ► NOUN ▪ a strong, heavy grating that can be lowered to block a gateway. ORIGIN from Old French porte coleice sliding door … English terms dictionary
portcullis — [pôrt kul′is] n. [ME portcoles < MFr porte coleïce < porte, gate + coleïce, fem. of coleis, sliding < L colare, to strain, filter] a heavy iron grating suspended by chains and lowered between grooves to bar the gateway of a castle or… … English World dictionary
Portcullis — A portcullis is a latticed grille or gate made of wood, metal or a combination of the two. Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, acting as a last line of defence during time of attack or siege. Each portcullis was mounted … Wikipedia
Portcullis — Das Wort Portcullis bezeichnet die englische Bezeichnung für das über dem (zumeist) Haupteingang angebrachte Fallgatter einer Burg oder eines Schlosses. davon abgeleitet: Portcullis House, das Bürogebäude der englischen Abgeordneten. wiederum… … Deutsch Wikipedia
portcullis — UK [pɔː(r)tˈkʌlɪs] / US [pɔrtˈkʌlɪs] noun [countable] Word forms portcullis : singular portcullis plural portcullises a heavy iron gate that can be lowered in front of the entrance to a castle as a defence … English dictionary
Portcullis — 1) Heavy grating of wood and metal which slid up and down, securing the entrance of a fortress or castle. [< OldFr. port = door + coulice = sliding] Cf. Herse 2) Her. Vertical and horizontal lines crossing each other over a *field. Cf. Herse… … Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases
portcullis — [14] A portcullis is etymologically a ‘sliding door’. The word comes from Old French porte coleïce, a term made up of porte ‘door’ (source of English port, as in porthole) and coleïce ‘sliding’. This was a derivative of the verb couler ‘slide’,… … The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins
portcullis — [[t]pɔː(r)tkʌ̱lɪs[/t]] portcullises N COUNT A portcullis is a strong gate above an entrance to a castle and used to be lowered to the ground in order to keep out enemies … English dictionary
