Bastille (Noun)
Meaning 1
A jail or prison (especially one that is run in a tyrannical manner).
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
A fortress built in Paris in the 14th century and used as a prison in the 17th and 18th centuries; it was destroyed July 14, 1789 at the start of the French Revolution.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, marked the beginning of the French Revolution.
- The Bastille was a symbol of the hated absolute monarchy and its destruction was a powerful statement of the people's desire for freedom.
- In the years leading up to the French Revolution, the Bastille had become notorious for its harsh conditions and arbitrary imprisonment.
- When the mob arrived at the gates of the Bastille, the governor hesitated, and the crowd surged forward to claim the fortress.
- The fall of the Bastille was a pivotal moment in French history, marking the end of the absolute monarchy and the start of a new era of republican government.