war hedge

plural war hedges

1. historicalA defensive formation used by medieval Germanic warriors in which shields were positioned to overlap and create a continuous barrier.

   Their spears protruded from the chinks in this formation that was known as the ‘shieldwall’ or ‘war hedge’.

   1999, Robert Lacey, Danny Danziger, The Year 1000: What life was like at the turn of The First Millennium, London: Abacus, published 2000, page 154

   1 more example

   And unshielded smote King Gunnar, and sent the Niblung song Through the quaking stems of battle in the hall of Atli's wrong: Then he rent the knitted war-hedge till by Hognside he stood.

   1877, William Morris, The story of Sigurd the Volsung and the fall of the Niblungs, Boston: Roberts Brothers, page 362

   Synonyms: shield wall