drawbridge
Castle's hinged entrance
A drawbridge is a bridge that can be raised, lowered, or drawn aside to allow passage beneath or to prevent crossing.
Medieval castles had drawbridges over moats, raised to keep invaders out.
Modern drawbridges span waterways and lift to let boats pass: Traffic backed up waiting for the drawbridge to lower.
Vertical sliding castle gate
- counterweightBalancing mass in machinery
- chainsLinked metal restraints
- winchDrum-and-cable lifting mechanism
- pulleyGrooved wheel for rope
hinge · bascule · pivot · crank · rope · lever · gate · deck
Fortified medieval residence
- keepRetain or fortified tower
- moatDefensive water ditch
- barbicanOuter defensive tower
- battlementsNotched defensive wall top
ramparts · turret · gatehouse · curtain wall · tower · stronghold · citadel · bastion
Distance between endpoints
threshold · transit · entry · approach · corridor · thoroughfare · pathway · causeway
portcullis
Vertical sliding castle gate
- counterweightBalancing mass in machinery
- chainsLinked metal restraints
- winchDrum-and-cable lifting mechanism
pulley · hinge · bascule · pivot · crank · rope · lever · gate · deck · platform
castle
Fortified medieval residence
battlements · ramparts · turret · gatehouse · curtain wall · tower · stronghold · citadel · bastion · bailey
span
Distance between endpoints
access · threshold · transit · entry · approach · corridor · thoroughfare · pathway · causeway · ford
feudal
Of tiered landownership
squire · heraldry · siege warfare · trebuchet · catapult · herald · tournament · crusade · lord · manor
siege
Encirclement forcing surrender
- protectionGuarding against harm
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
- isolateSeparate from others
separate · impregnable · security · blockade · invasion · assault · retreat · sanctuary · refuge · repel
- castleskeep, moat, dungeon, turret, battlements
- medieval itemssword, mace, flail, dagger, crossbow
- crossingspedestrian crossing, cross, railroad crossing, river crossing, border crossing
- bridge typesaqueduct
- Castle Architecturekeep, turret, battlement, moat, portcullis
- castle defensemoat, portcullis, arrow slits, battlements, turrets
drawbridgefixed bridge
Non-movable overpass structure
stone bridge · arch bridge · viaduct · overpass · footbridge
- pull up the drawbridgeSeal oneself off socially