machicolade

plural machicolades

1. A machicolation.

   The crenelets, which grinned between the roof and the machicolade at the top of Outfangthef, were cleared of all obstructions.

   2021 January 18, Guy Thorne, “5: The three trees of Monkshood Glade”, in The Serf, Litres, →ISBN

   3 more examples

   The efforts of the besieging force were concentrated against a space of about two hundred and fifty yards, containing two curtains, and two towers, one of which was the square barbican, the other had a pointed roof that was built to overlap, resting on a stone machicolade, and by this means a row of dangerous crenelets between the roof and the masonry grinned down at the nearer assailants [...].

   1861, Charles Reade, chapter 20, in The Cloister and the Hearth, volume 2, London: Trübner & Co., page 320

   He staggered to the battlements and leant against them and was sick unto death. [...] Pressing his hot brow against the cool granite of the machicolade there came an overpowering desire for sleep [...]

   1924, Cyril Ranger Gull, “16: 'All's Well'”, in When the World Reeled, London: Ward, Lock, page 307

   So high was the roof on which we stood that only one of the towers or cupolas rose much above us. [...] 'There is some one who isn't much troubled by sub-lunary affairs,' I said, pointing over the machicolade.

   2022 September 16, Guy Thorne, The City in the Clouds, DigiCat

   Synonyms: machicolation