Trebucket

4 definitions found

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

  Trebuchet \Treb"u*chet\, Trebucket \Tre"buck*et\, n. [OF.
     trebuchet, trebukiet, an engine of war for hurling stones, F.
     tr['e]buchet a gin, trap, a kind of balance, fr. OF.
     trebuchier, trebuquier, to stumble, trip, F. tr['e]bucher.]
     1. A cucking stool; a tumbrel. --Cowell.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. A military engine used in the Middle Ages for throwing
        stones, etc. It acted by means of a great weight fastened
        to the short arm of a lever, which, being let fall, raised
        the end of the long arm with great velocity, hurling
        stones with much force.
        [1913 Webster]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A kind of balance for weighing. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]

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

  Castigatory \Cas"ti*ga*to*ry\, n.
     An instrument formerly used to punish and correct arrant
     scolds; -- called also a {ducking stool}, or {trebucket}.
     --Blacktone.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

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

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

  TREBUCKET. The name of an engine of punishment, said to be synonymous with 
  tumbrel. (q.v.)