murder-holes
Defensive ceiling openings
Murder-holes are openings in the ceiling of a castle passage or gatehouse through which defenders could attack intruders below—dropping stones, pouring boiling liquids, or firing arrows on enemies who had breached the outer gate.
The term now appears in gaming and fantasy contexts for any overhead defensive opening: Watch for murder-holes in the dungeon corridor.
Surround to force surrender
- stormingAttacking with force
- escaladeSiege by ladders
- sappersSoldiers specializing in fortifications
- assaultViolent offensive act
breach · onslaught · trebuchet · catapult · blockade · attackers · defense · sally
Fortified wall opening
- gatehouseStructure over an entrance
- barbicanOuter defensive tower
- portcullisVertical sliding castle gate
- battlementsNotched defensive wall top
parapet · drawbridge · keep · turret · rampart · vault · gallery · passage
besiege
Surround to force surrender
assault · breach · onslaught · trebuchet · catapult · blockade · attackers · defense · sally · counterattack
embrasure
Fortified wall opening
- gatehouseStructure over an entrance
- barbicanOuter defensive tower
- portcullisVertical sliding castle gate
battlements · parapet · drawbridge · keep · turret · rampart · vault · gallery · passage · chute
projectiles
Objects forcefully launched
- stonesSmall hard earth fragments
- crossbowStock-mounted bow mechanism
- arrowsShafted projectiles for bows
garrison · repel · defenders · assault · breach · attackers · volley · dropping · pouring · scalding
fortress
Heavily defended military structure
- citadelFortified urban stronghold
- strongholdFortified place of defense
- keepRetain or fortified tower
bailey · moat · donjon · armory · courtyard · palisade · dungeon · watchtower · bastion · redoubt
murder-holesbreach
Breaking of agreement
sally port · gate · postern · drawbridge
murder, hole, murders, murdered, murdering, murderer, murderers, murderous, murderously