Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A name given, incorrectly, to a ditch with earthworks on either side, which follows the line of Hadrian's wall in northern England. See the extract.
- noun A rampart; a palisaded rampart; a line of intrenchment; specifically, the rampart with which the Romans inclosed their camps.
- noun In anatomy, the supercilium or eyebrow.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Rom. Antiq.) A rampart; a wall, as in a fortification.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun historical A
rampart ; awall , as in afortification .
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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They made sure o 'their conquest, an' then built their wall, sae that the popular theory that the vallum was a protection against the south is a 'stuff an' nonsense. '
Border Ghost Stories Howard Pease
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The mounds and vallum were sort of to indicate the military zone, a sort of 'no-go' area for civilians.
Archive 2009-09-01 lili 2009
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The mounds and vallum were sort of to indicate the military zone, a sort of 'no-go' area for civilians.
Hadrian's Wall Day #1 lili 2009
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Haec ciuitas sita est in aquis quæ semper stant, et nec fluunt, nec refluunt, vallum tamen habet propter ventum sicut ciuitas Venetiarum.
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From the edge of its commanding vallum Cromwell took the observations for his successful assault on Basing House.
Wanderings in Wessex An Exploration of the Southern Realm from Itchen to Otter Edric Holmes
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At present the most interesting part of the great mound is the actual fosse and vallum.
Wanderings in Wessex An Exploration of the Southern Realm from Itchen to Otter Edric Holmes
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The meaning of the _vallum_ is much more doubtful.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 "Brescia" to "Bulgaria" Various
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Before these could close up all the passes, by a vallum being thrown up on all sides, five horsemen being despatched between the enemies 'posts, brought the account to Rome, that the consul and his army were besieged.
The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08 Titus Livius
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The first and second vallum can be traced with their ditches, and there was doubtless an inner wall.
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Tregonning Hill, close by, is somewhat higher, and its summit has a fine entrenchment with a striking inner vallum.
qms commented on the word vallum
The legions who civilized Gaul
At Scotland were forced to a stall.
'Twas best to corral 'em
Beyond a strong vallum,
So Hadrian built him a wall.
March 21, 2017