CHEVAL de FRISE, a large piece of timber pierced, and traversed with wooden spikes, armed or pointed with iron, five or six feet long. See Plate LXXXIV. fig. 8.
The term is French, and properly signifies a Friesland horse; as having been first invented in that country.—It is also called a Turnpike or Turnquet. See TURNPIKE.
Its use is to defend a passage, stop a breach, or make a retrenchment to stop the cavalry. It is sometimes also mounted on wheels, with artificial fires, to roll down in an assault. Errard observes, that the prince of Orange used to inclose his camp with Chevaux de Frise, placing them one over another.