bailey

A noun referring to the outer courtyard of a castle, often enclosed by a defensive wall.

• 🇫🇷Nom désignant la cour extérieure d'un château, souvent entourée d'une enceinte ou d'un mur défensif.

1. Castle courtyard C1 formal

   The outer courtyard of a castle, enclosed by defensive walls.

   • The soldiers gathered in the bailey for the morning roll call.
   • The castle's bailey was large enough to hold several buildings.
   • They crossed the bailey to reach the main keep.

   🇫🇷Basse-cour (d'un château fort)

   Synonymes: courtcourtyardward

2. Defensive wall C1 formal

   The outer defensive wall that surrounds the courtyard of a castle.

   • The bailey wall was reinforced with stone after the siege.
   • Archers stood atop the bailey to defend the castle.
   • The bailey provided a strong first line of defense.

   🇫🇷Enceinte (cour anglaise)

   Synonymes: rampart

• baileys plural form
• baileys' possessive plural form
• bailey's possessive singular form