earthwork

  • 1Earthwork — Earth work , n. 1. (Mil.) Any construction, whether a temporary breastwork or permanent fortification, for attack or defense, the material of which is chiefly earth. [1913 Webster] 2. (Engin.) (a) The operation connected with excavations and… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2earthwork — (n.) 1630s, from EARTH (Cf. earth) + WORK (Cf. work) (n.). In this sense O.E. had eorðbyrig; O.E. eorðweorc meant work on the land …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 3earthwork — ► NOUN ▪ a large artificial bank of soil, especially one made as a defence in ancient times …

    English terms dictionary

  • 4earthwork — [ʉrth′wʉrk΄] n. 1. an embankment made by piling up earth, esp. as a fortification 2. Engineering the work of excavating or building embankments 3. a work of art, usually massive in scale, incorporating a natural feature of an area, as a groove… …

    English World dictionary

  • 5earthwork — UK [ˈɜː(r)θˌwɜː(r)k] / US [ˈɜrθˌwɜrk] noun [countable] Word forms earthwork : singular earthwork plural earthworks a wall made from a pile of earth, built in the past to defend a place against attack …

    English dictionary

  • 6Earthwork — Image satellite de Roden Crater en Arizona, où James Turrell transforme le cratère d un volcan en observatoire astronomique. Un Earthwork, littéralement terrassement, est un terme anglais utilisé pour désigner une œuvre d art créée dans la nature …

    Wikipédia en Français

  • 7earthwork — noun Date: 1633 1. an embankment or other construction made of earth; especially one used as a field fortification 2. the operations connected with excavations and embankments of earth 3. a work of art consisting of a portion of land modified by… …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 8earthwork — /errth werrk /, n. 1. excavation and piling of earth in connection with an engineering operation. 2. Mil. a construction formed chiefly of earth for protection against enemy fire, used in both offensive and defensive operations. 3. an artistic… …

    Universalium

  • 9earthwork — noun Any structure made from earth; especially an embankment or rampart used as a fortification …

    Wiktionary

  • 10earthwork — Synonyms and related words: abatis, advanced work, arch dam, backstop, balistraria, bamboo curtain, bank, banquette, bar, barbed wire entanglement, barbican, barrage, barricade, barrier, bartizan, bastion, battlement, bear trap dam, beaver dam,… …

    Moby Thesaurus