rampart

noun

1. Fortification.
   1. a broad elevation or mound of earth raised as a fortification around a place and usually capped with a stone or earth parapet.
   2. such an elevation together with the parapet.
2. anything serving as a bulwark or defense.

verb (used with object)

3. to furnish with or as if with a rampart.

noun

1. the surrounding embankment of a fort, often including any walls, parapets, walks, etc, that are built on the bank
2. anything resembling a rampart in form or function, esp in being a defence or bulwark
3. Canadian a steep rock wall in a river gorge

verb

4. (tr) to provide with a rampart; fortify

n.

“earthen elevation around a place for fortification,” sometimes also including parapets, 1580s, from Middle French rempart, rampart, from remparer “to fortify,” from re- “again” (see re-) + emparer “fortify, take possession of,” from Old Provençal amparer, from Vulgar Latin *anteparare “prepare,” properly “to make preparations beforehand,” from Latin ante- “before” (see ante) + parare “prepare” (see pare). With excrescent -t in French, perhaps by influence of boulevart (see boulevard).