Arbalist

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Arbalest \Ar"ba*lest\, Arbalist \Ar"ba*list\, n. [OF. arbaleste,
     LL. arbalista, for L. arcuballista; arcus bow + ballista a
     military engine. See {Ballista}.] (Antiq.)
     A crossbow, consisting of a steel bow set in a shaft of wood,
     furnished with a string and a trigger, and a mechanical
     device for bending the bow. It served to throw arrows, darts,


     bullets, etc. [Written also {arbalet} and {arblast}.]
     --Fosbroke.
     [1913 Webster] Arbalester

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  arbalist
       n : medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine
           for hurling large stones and other missiles [syn: {catapult},
            {arbalest}, {ballista}, {bricole}, {mangonel}, {onager},
            {trebuchet}, {trebucket}]