earthwork

earthwork
/errth"werrk'/, n.
1. excavation and piling of earth in connection with an engineering operation.
2. Mil. a construction formed chiefly of earth for protection against enemy fire, used in both offensive and defensive operations.
3. an artistic work that consists of a large-scale alteration or modification of an area of land in a configuration designed by an artist or of an artist's sculptural installation, as in a museum or gallery, of soil, rock, or similar elemental materials.
[1625-35; EARTH + WORK]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Earthwork — Earth work , n. 1. (Mil.) Any construction, whether a temporary breastwork or permanent fortification, for attack or defense, the material of which is chiefly earth. [1913 Webster] 2. (Engin.) (a) The operation connected with excavations and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • earthwork — (n.) 1630s, from EARTH (Cf. earth) + WORK (Cf. work) (n.). In this sense O.E. had eorðbyrig; O.E. eorðweorc meant work on the land …   Etymology dictionary

  • earthwork — ► NOUN ▪ a large artificial bank of soil, especially one made as a defence in ancient times …   English terms dictionary

  • earthwork — [ʉrth′wʉrk΄] n. 1. an embankment made by piling up earth, esp. as a fortification 2. Engineering the work of excavating or building embankments 3. a work of art, usually massive in scale, incorporating a natural feature of an area, as a groove… …   English World dictionary

  • earthwork — UK [ˈɜː(r)θˌwɜː(r)k] / US [ˈɜrθˌwɜrk] noun [countable] Word forms earthwork : singular earthwork plural earthworks a wall made from a pile of earth, built in the past to defend a place against attack …   English dictionary

  • Earthwork — Image satellite de Roden Crater en Arizona, où James Turrell transforme le cratère d un volcan en observatoire astronomique. Un Earthwork, littéralement terrassement, est un terme anglais utilisé pour désigner une œuvre d art créée dans la nature …   Wikipédia en Français

  • earthwork — noun Date: 1633 1. an embankment or other construction made of earth; especially one used as a field fortification 2. the operations connected with excavations and embankments of earth 3. a work of art consisting of a portion of land modified by… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • earthwork — noun Any structure made from earth; especially an embankment or rampart used as a fortification …   Wiktionary

  • earthwork — Synonyms and related words: abatis, advanced work, arch dam, backstop, balistraria, bamboo curtain, bank, banquette, bar, barbed wire entanglement, barbican, barrage, barricade, barrier, bartizan, bastion, battlement, bear trap dam, beaver dam,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • earthwork — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. rampart (see defense). II (Roget s IV) n. Syn. embankment, dugout, fortification; see barrier , fortification 2 , trench …   English dictionary for students

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