Caltrop
WordNet
noun
(1) Mediterranean annual or biennial herb having pinkish to purple flowers surrounded by spine-tipped scales; naturalized in America
(2) A plant of the genus Trapa bearing spiny four-pronged edible nutlike fruits
(3) Tropical annual procumbent poisonous subshrub having fruit that splits into five spiny nutlets; serious pasture weed
WiktionaryText
Noun
- A small, metal object with spikes arranged so that, when thrown onto the ground, one always faces up as a threat to passers-by.
- 1858, The journal of the British Archaeological Association
- ...her father, the emperor Alexius, who reigned AD 1081-1118, ordered caltrops to be cast in front of his archers...
- 1954, Joseph Needham, Ling Wang, Science and civilisation in China
- By Sung times, several different types of caltrops had been developed. As in earlier times, both caltrops could be made from both wood and iron...
- 2000, Alan Vick, Aerospace operations in urban environments: exploring new concepts
- Caltrops, tetrahedrons, and similar devices are designed to puncture vehicle tires or limit foot traffic. The standard design has four points.
- 1858, The journal of the British Archaeological Association
- The starthistle Centaurea calcitrapa, a plant with sharp thorns.
Synonyms
- caltrap, galtrop, cheval trap, galthrap, galtrap, calthrop, crow’s foot