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portcullis

noun

  1. heavy vertically-opening gate typically found in medieval fortifications
L325732 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /pɔːtˈkʌl.ɪs/ / /pɔɹtˈkʌl.ɪs/

noun

Etymology: From Middle English portcolyse, from Old French porte colëice, from porte (“door”) + feminine of colëiz (“sliding”), ultimately from Latin colāre.

  1. A gate in the form of a grating which is lowered into place at the gateway of a castle, a fort, etc.
  2. An old English coin from the reign of Elizabeth I, minted for the use of the East India Company, and bearing the picture of a portcullis on the reverse.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English portcolyse, from Old French porte colëice, from porte (“door”) + feminine of colëiz (“sliding”), ultimately from Latin colāre.

  1. To obstruct with, or as with, a portcullis; to shut; to bar.

    […]Within my mouth you haue engaold my tongue, / Doubly portculliſt with my teeth and lippes[…]