Impalement

3 definitions found

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

  Impalement \Im*pale"ment\, n.
     1. The act of impaling, or the state of being impaled.
        --Byron.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. An inclosing by stakes or pales, or the space so inclosed.


        --H. Brooke.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. That which hedges in; inclosure. [R.] --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Her.) The division of a shield palewise, or by a vertical
        line, esp. for the purpose of putting side by side the
        arms of husband and wife. See {Impale}, 3.
        [1913 Webster]

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

  Empalement \Em*pale"ment\, n. [Cf. F. empalement, fr. empaler.
     See {Empale}.] [Written also {impalement}.]
     1. A fencing, inclosing, or fortifying with stakes.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A putting to death by thrusting a sharpened stake through
        the body.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Her.) Same as {Impalement}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  impalement
       n : the act of piercing with a sharpened stake as a form of
           punishment or torture