French: assommoirEnglish translation: murder hole 
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French to English translations [PRO]
Architecture / history | | French term or phrase: assommoir | La Porte de Fer était défendue par deux dispositifs qui se présentent comme des ouvertures étroites aménagées au sol, protégées aujourd’hui par des grilles de métal. Celle de droite est le passage de la herse. Celle de gauche est un assommoir, c’est-à-dire qu’elle servait à jeter des projectiles.
Here it does not seem to mean bludgeon or gin shop! |
| | Clarification request(s) and responseJonathan MacKerron: 11:13am May 22, 2007: perhaps the author is mixing up "club" and "catapult"?
Jonathan MacKerron: 11:14am May 22, 2007: Grand Robert = "Instrument qui sert à assommer. Spécialt. Bâton garni d'une balle de plomb à l'une des extrémités.", the way it's described would also fit for a sling-shot
Tony M: 11:20am May 22, 2007: That sounds more like a 'flail', Jonathan — not at all the same as a sling-shot (think David and Goliath)
Tony M: 11:21am May 22, 2007: Actually, no, it's a 'mace'; the 'flail' had a loose ball on a chain
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| | murder hole | Explanation:
Surely this is just a variant on a 'meurtrière'?
Castle Defenses
Murder holes are openings in a floor through which the castle defenders could drop missles or liquids upon the attackers. Stones were the most often used ...
www.castles-of-britain.com/castleso.htm
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Note added at 21 mins (2007-05-22 11:25:34 GMT)
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Perhaps the author is trying to make a distinction between the kinds of 'meutrières' that you have with overhanging battlements, so you can drop things on people to stop them trying to scale the walls, and the ones you have above a passage or gateway, so you can nut people as they try to pass through it — that would make sense in the context given with the reference to the other slit's being for the portcullis... |
| Selected response from:
 Tony M
France
| Note from asker to answererGreat phrase, I agree. And if you are talking about Norman castles, it does seem reasonable to use terms from French!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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12 mins confidence:   peer agreement (net): +9 |
| murder hole
Explanation:
Surely this is just a variant on a 'meurtrière'?
Castle Defenses
Murder holes are openings in a floor through which the castle defenders could drop missles or liquids upon the attackers. Stones were the most often used ...
www.castles-of-britain.com/castleso.htm
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Note added at 21 mins (2007-05-22 11:25:34 GMT)
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Perhaps the author is trying to make a distinction between the kinds of 'meutrières' that you have with overhanging battlements, so you can drop things on people to stop them trying to scale the walls, and the ones you have above a passage or gateway, so you can nut people as they try to pass through it — that would make sense in the context given with the reference to the other slit's being for the portcullis...
| Tony M
France
Native speaker of:  English
PRO pts in category: 64
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| Note from asker to answerer| Great phrase, I agree. And if you are talking about Norman castles, it does seem reasonable to use terms from French! |
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The translation workplace 
