in the art of war, a body of forces, disposed in a fortrefs, to defend it against the enemy, or to keep the inhabitants in subjection; or even to be subsifted during the winter season: hence garrison and winter quarters are sometimes used indifferently for the same thing; and sometimes they denote different things. In the latter case, a garrison is a place wherein forces are maintained to secure it, and where they keep regular guard, as a frontier town, a citadel, castle, tower, &c. The garrison should be always stronger than the townsmen.

Du Cange derives the word from the corrupt Latin garnitio, which the latter writers use to signify all manner of munition, arms, victuals, &c. necessary for the defence of a place, and furnishing of a siege.

Winter quarters signify a place where a number of forces are laid up in the winter season, without keeping the regular guard.