Etymology

cheval de frise

Today it means: An obstacle made of wood with spikes, for use against attacking cavalry. Full definition →

French cheval de frise
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The story

  1. French · borrowed fromcheval de frise“Frisian horse”
  2. English todaycheval de frise

Borrowed from French cheval de frise (“Frisian horse”), so named because it was employed by the Dutch (who lacked cavalry) against the Spanish cavalry in their war for independence.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.