Adjacent Words

arbalest definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an engine that provided medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles [syn: catapult, arbalest, arbalist, ballista, bricole, mangonel, onager, trebuchet, trebucket]

Merriam Webster's

or arbalist noun Etymology: Middle English arblast, from Anglo-French arblaste, arcbaleste, from Late Latin arcuballista, from Latin arcus bow + ballista — more at arrow Date: before 12th century a crossbow especially of medieval times

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (also arblast) hist. a crossbow with a mechanism for drawing the string. Etymology: OE arblast f. OF arbaleste f. LL arcubalista f. arcus bow + BALLISTA

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Arbalest Ar"ba*lest, Arbalist Ar"ba*list, n. [OF. arbaleste, LL. arbalista, for L. arcuballista; arcus bow + ballista a military engine. See Ballista.] (Antiq.) A crossbow, consisting of a steel bow set in a shaft of wood, furnished with a string and a trigger, and a mechanical device for bending the bow. It served to throw arrows, darts, bullets, etc. [Written also arbalet and arblast.] --Fosbroke.