Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Composed of stones not cemented with mortar: as, “drystone walls”, Scott.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Constructed of uncemented stone.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective of a wall Constructed by laying carefully selected stones on top of each other, and bedding them down with no mortar.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Richardson & Wrench The property has dry-stone walls, a vegetable garden, citrus orchard and parterre, or ornamental garden shown with peony trees and roses.

    Australian Country Estate Vanessa Ko 2012

  • Last year, my partner Ro and I explored the islands of Inis Meán and Inis Oirr, clambering over dry-stone walls, walking down ancient boreens accompanied by Tim Robinson's increasingly dog-eared map.

    TIA: Reviews from Elsewhere 2009

  • Machu Picchu, Peru for sure!! built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls, a magical place, breathtaki­ng, amazing culture, warm people, beautiful art and crafts...

    1,000 Places To See Before You Die: Your Most Desired Vacation Destination 2011

  • The stoat scampers along the dry-stone wall, lightly cresting the lichen-covered coping stones.

    Country diary: Allendale, Northumberland 2011

  • Last year, my partner Ro and I explored the islands of Inis Meán and Inis Oirr, clambering over dry-stone walls, walking down ancient boreens accompanied by Tim Robinson's increasingly dog-eared map.

    A Different Stripe: 2009

  • Flashing by, behind hedgerows, dry-stone walls, and houses, was a view to still the heart: the flat, built-up bowl of the city bathed in a rosy light falling softly from the west, the dark green of the sea to the east broken only by the flecked white wakes of ships and sailboats threading in and out from Dublin port and Dun Laoghaire harbour.

    The Priest Gerard O’Donovan 2011

  • The severe frost heaving, which causes the stone walls to move up in the winter then back down in spring when the ground thaws, often doesn't cause damage to dry-stone wall construction (walls that don't use mortar or cement to bond the rocks together).

    Dry-stone walls last for generations, require some engineering Tim Carter 2010

  • Not only is the setting splendid, but the drive to get here, along narrow lanes lined with dry-stone walls and punctuated with rustic farms and remote villages, is highly scenic too.

    The 10 best campsites for views 2011

  • Cornish hedges are similar to dry-stone walls but with a wider earth core between the stone sides and a wide concave top, or "batter".

    Historic walking trails: smugglers' routes in Cornwall 2011

  • Last year, my partner Ro and I explored the islands of Inis Meán and Inis Oirr, clambering over dry-stone walls, walking down ancient boreens accompanied by Tim Robinson's increasingly dog-eared map.

    TIA: Tim Robinson's Aran 2009

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