Arbalist (Noun)
Meaning
An engine that provided medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The arbalist, made primarily of wood and requiring dozens of men to operate, laid siege to the fortress walls for days on end.
- Combatants often used thick metal shields to protect themselves and the massive arbalist from archers stationed atop the enemy castle.
- Within hours of the arbalist's destruction, the enemy gates creaked open, inviting a swift and merciless surge of invading forces.
- Medieval forces frequently employed these cumbersome yet efficient war machines, particularly arbalists and catapults, during prolonged siege battles.
- The ingenious design of the arbalist involved intricate pulleys, gears, and counterweights, allowing military forces to lob massive boulders into enemy fortifications.