laager

plural laagers · alternative lager

1. A defensive encampment encircled by wagons, especially by South African Boers.

   Wagons […] can be readily formed into a laager, a camp, by being drawn into a circle, with the oxen placed inside and so kept safe from the attacks of wild beasts.

   1897, James Bryce, Impressions of South Africa

   1 more example

   “And for how long d'you think you're going to be safe in the cities?” Louis persisted. “Just a matter of time, then our frontiers will shrink as we draw our little laager more and more tightly.”

   1978, André Brink, Rumours of Rain, Vintage, published 2000, page 332

2. governmentA temporary formation of armoured vehicles for resupply.

present singular third person laagers · participle present laagering · participle past laagered · past laagered · alternative lager

1. transitiveTo arrange in a circular formation for defence.

   At the foot of this isolated mount, whereof the aspect somehow filled me with alarm, we camped on the night of January 21, taking no precautions against attack by way of laagering the wagons.

   1917, H. Rider Haggard, Finished

2. intransitiveTo camp in a circular formation.

   That evening, we laagered close to a large open area covered with elephant grass about six feet high.

   2000, Jeff Dossett, Delayed Detonation, page 44