verb
- surrounding or encircling with a fortified wall or rampart, especially during a siege
Usage: military/historical; present participle of circumvallate
Examples
- The Roman army was circumvallating the enemy fortress with earthen walls.
- By circumvallating the city, the general prevented any supplies from reaching the defenders.
- The troops spent weeks circumvallating the stronghold before launching their final assault.
- Medieval siege tactics often involved circumvallating a castle to cut off escape routes.
- The commander ordered his engineers to begin circumvallating the perimeter at dawn.