rampart
Castle's outer defense
A rampart is a defensive wall or embankment surrounding a fortification, typically broad enough for soldiers to stand on and often topped with a parapet.
The word evokes medieval castles and walled cities.
Figuratively, anything serving as a protective barrier: The mountains formed a natural rampart against invasion.
The plural appears in the U.S. national anthem: the ramparts we watched.
Fortified defensive position
- bulwarkDefensive fortification or safeguard
- curtain wallNon-load-bearing outer shell
- earthworkConstructed soil structure
- palisadeFence of pointed stakes
stockade · redoubt · entrenchment · embankment · breastwork · barbican · glacis · escarpment
Fortified urban stronghold
- fortressHeavily defended military structure
- castleFortified medieval residence
- keepRetain or fortified tower
- strongholdFortified place of defense
turret · watchtower · donjon · tower · garrison · blockhouse · acropolis · kasbah
Protection against harm
- protectionGuarding against harm
- safeguardPrecaution against harm
- shieldHandheld defensive armor
- bulwarkDefensive fortification or safeguard
bastion · stronghold · refuge · sanctuary · haven · guardian · barrier · fortress
Vertical enclosing structure
- barricadeObstacle blocking a path
- obstacleSomething blocking the way
- blockadeSealing off a place
- enclosureConfined, bordered space
fence · perimeter · boundary · bulwark · partition · impediment · obstruction · screen
Decayed structural remains
- earthworkConstructed soil structure
- ditchShallow excavated channel
- enclosureConfined, bordered space
- foundationUnderlying support structure
mound · hillfort · dun · crannog · terracing · excavation · remnant · trace
Defensive water ditch
- ditchShallow excavated channel
- trenchLong narrow excavation
- crenelationNotched defensive parapet
- merlonSolid parapet section
embrasure · loophole · arrow slit · murder hole · casemate · emplacement · siege · defense
bastion
Fortified defensive position
- bulwarkDefensive fortification or safeguard
- curtain wallNon-load-bearing outer shell
- earthworkConstructed soil structure
palisade · stockade · redoubt · entrenchment · embankment · breastwork · barbican · glacis · escarpment · revetment
citadel
Fortified urban stronghold
- fortressHeavily defended military structure
- castleFortified medieval residence
- keepRetain or fortified tower
stronghold · turret · watchtower · donjon · tower · garrison · blockhouse · acropolis · kasbah · kremlin
defense
Protection against harm
- protectionGuarding against harm
- safeguardPrecaution against harm
- shieldHandheld defensive armor
bulwark · bastion · stronghold · refuge · sanctuary · haven · guardian · barrier · fortress · security
wall
Vertical enclosing structure
enclosure · fence · perimeter · boundary · bulwark · partition · impediment · obstruction · screen · border
ruins
Decayed structural remains
foundation · mound · hillfort · dun · crannog · terracing · excavation · remnant · trace · embankment
moat
Defensive water ditch
- ditchShallow excavated channel
- trenchLong narrow excavation
- crenelationNotched defensive parapet
merlon · embrasure · loophole · arrow slit · murder hole · casemate · emplacement · siege · defense · fortify
- medieval warfareknights, siege warfare, castle, castle siege, siege
- Hadrian's Wallturret, turrets, Chesters, curtain wall, ditch
- castleskeep, moat, drawbridge, dungeon, turret
- defensedefense, defending, protecting, protection, security
- medievalknights, castles, cathedral, kings, queens
- barrierswalls, wall, fences, fence, barrier
rampartbreach
Breaking of agreement
weak point · vulnerability · gap · hazard · exposure
rampartditch
Shallow excavated channel
moat · trench · depression · fosse · excavation
rampartgate
Hinged barrier in fence
entrance · passageway · portal · sally port · breach
- stone ramparts
- medieval rampartsFortified castle perimeter walls