Cas"tle (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Castled (&?;); p. pr.
& vb. n. Castling (?).]
(Chess) To move the castle to the
square next to king, and then the king
around the castle to the
square next beyond it, for the purpose of covering the king.
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.
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.
Our castle's strength
Will laugh a
siege to scorn.
Shak.
&fist; Originally the mediæval 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.
2. Any strong, imposing, and stately mansion.
3. A small tower, as on a ship, or an elephant's
back.
4. A piece, made
to represent a castle, used in the game of chess; a rook.
Castle in the air,
a visionary project; a baseless scheme; an air castle; -- sometimes called
a castle in Spain (F. Château en Espagne).
Syn. -- Fortress; fortification; citadel; stronghold. See Fortress.
Hear it pronounced