Enceinte

4 definitions found

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

  Enceinte \En`ceinte"\, n. [F., fr. enceindre to gird about,
     surround, L. incingere; in (intens). + cingere to gird. See
     {Cincture}.]
     1. (Fort.) The line of works which forms the main inclosure
        of a fortress or place; -- called also {body of the
        place}.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The area or town inclosed by a line of fortification.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The suburbs are not unfrequently larger than their
              enceinte.                             --S. W.
                                                    Williams.
        [1913 Webster]

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

  Enceinte \En`ceinte"\, a. [F., fr. L. in not + cinctus, p. p. of
     cingere to gird about.]
     Pregnant; with child.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  enceinte
       adj : in an advanced stage of pregnancy; "was big with child";
             "was great with child" [syn: {big(p)}, {expectant}, {gravid},
              {great(p)}, {large(p)}, {heavy(p)}, {with child(p)}]

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  ENCEINTE, med. jur. A French word, which signifies pregnant. 
       2. When a woman is pregnant, and is convicted of a capital crime, she 
  cannot lawfully be punished till after her delivery. 
       3. in the English law, where a widow is suspected to feign herself with 
  child, in order to produce a supposititious heir to the estate, the 
  presumptive heir may have a writ de ventre inspiciendo, to examine whether 
  she be with child or not. Cro. Eliz. 566; 4 Bro. C. C. 90. As to the signs 
  of pregnancy, see 1 Beck's Med. Jur. 157. See, generally, 4 Bl. Com. 894; 2 
  P. Wms. 591; 1 Cox, C. C. 297 and Pregnancy; Privement enceinte.