Castle in the air

Castle in the air
Castle Cas"tle, n. [AS. castel, fr. L. castellum, dim. of castrum a fortified place, castle.] 1. A fortified residence, especially that of a prince or nobleman; a fortress. [1913 Webster]

The house of every one is to him castle and fortress, as well for his defense againts injury and violence, as for his repose. --Coke. [1913 Webster]

Our castle's strength Will laugh a siege to scorn. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Note: Originally the medi[ae]val castle was a single strong tower or keep, with a palisaded inclosure around it and inferior buidings, such as stables and the like, and surrounded by a moat; then such a keep or donjon, with courtyards or baileys and accessory buildings of greater elaboration a great hall and a chapel, all surrounded by defensive walls and a moat, with a drawbridge, etc. Afterwards the name was retained by large dwellings that had formerly been fortresses, or by those which replaced ancient fortresses. A Donjon or Keep, an irregular building containing the dwelling of the lord and his family; B C Large round towers ferming part of the donjon and of the exterior; D Square tower, separating the two inner courts and forming part of the donjon; E Chapel, whose apse forms a half-round tower, F, on the exterior walls; G H Round towers on the exterior walls; K Postern gate, reached from outside by a removable fight of steps or inclined plane for hoisting in stores, and leading to a court, L (see small digagram) whose pavement is on a level with the sill of the postern, but below the level of the larger court, with which it communicates by a separately fortified gateway; M Turret, containing spiral stairway to all the stories of the great tower, B, and serving also as a station for signal fire, banner, etc.; N Turret with stairway for tower, C; O Echauguettes; P P P Battlemants consisting of merlons and crenels alternately, the merlons being pierced by loopholes; Q Q Machicolations (those at Q defend the postern K); R Outwork defending the approach, which is a road ascending the hill and passing under all four faces of the castle; S S Wall of the outer bailey. The road of approach enters the bailey at T and passes thence into the castle by the main entrance gateway (which is in the wall between, and defended by the towers, C H) and over two drawbridges and through fortified passages to the inner court. [1913 Webster]

2. Any strong, imposing, and stately mansion. [1913 Webster]

3. A small tower, as on a ship, or an elephant's back. [1913 Webster]

4. A piece, made to represent a castle, used in the game of chess; a rook. [1913 Webster]

{Castle in the air}, a visionary project; a baseless scheme; an air castle; -- sometimes called a {castle in Spain} (F. Ch[^a]teau en Espagne).

Syn: Fortress; fortification; citadel; stronghold. See {Fortress}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • castle in the air — n. an imaginary scheme not likely to be realized; daydream: also castle in Spain …   English World dictionary

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  • castle in the air — noun absentminded dreaming while awake • Syn: ↑reverie, ↑revery, ↑daydream, ↑daydreaming, ↑oneirism, ↑air castle, ↑castle in Spain • Derivationally related forms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Castle in the Air (film) — Castle in the Air is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Henry Cass and starring David Tomlinson, Helen Cherry, Margaret Rutherford and Gordon Jackson. The English owner of a Scottish castle discovers that it is haunted by the spirit of a… …   Wikipedia

  • castle in the air — noun A visionary project or scheme; a day dream; an idle fancy; a pipe dream; any plan, desire, or idea that is unlikely to be ever realized; a near impossibility. Syn: castle in the skies, castle in Spain …   Wiktionary

  • castle in the air — See: BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • castle in the air — See: BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • castle\ in\ the\ air — See: build castles in the air …   Словарь американских идиом

  • castle in the air — cas′tle in the air′ n. a fanciful or impractical notion or hope; daydream. Also called cas′tle in Spain′ • Etymology: 1570–80 …   From formal English to slang

  • castle in the air — a fanciful or impractical notion or hope; daydream. Also called air castle, castle in Spain. [1570 80] * * * …   Universalium

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