enbattled

enbattled is the obsolete form of embattled.

Meaning of embattled

Adjective (1)

embattled (comparative more embattled, superlative most embattled)

Armed or prepared for battle (literally or figuratively).
- If you knevv hovv ſtrong and full of ſtratagems the diuel vvere, vvith hovve many Legions of luſtfull deſires he commeth embattailed againſt you: vvhat ſecrete ambuſhes of temptations he hath layde to intrappe you, then vvoulde you gather your ſelues into one bodie to reſiſt him: […]1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 8, verso
Of a place: occupied or surrounded by armed troops (also figuratively).
- The Element euery night vvas embattailed vvith Armed men, skyrmiſhing and conflicting amongſt themeſlues; and the imperiall Eagles of Rome, vvere plainly there diſplayed to all mens ſight.1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 28, recto
Of a place: strengthened so as to withstand attacks; fortified.
- [N]o ſubject can build a caſtle, or houſe of ſtrength imbatteled, or other fortreſs defenſible, vvithout the licence of the king; for the danger vvhich might enſue, if every man at his pleaſure might do it.1765, William Blackstone, “Of the King’s Prerogative”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book I (Of the Rights of Persons), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 255
(figuratively) Subject to or troubled by attacks, controversy, or pressure.
- Now finding herself under rapid and accurate fire from the Alabama and Washington, Nagato is embattled, whilst Yamato has to switch to partially engage Iowa.2021 May 5, Drachinifel [pseudonym], 31:57 from the start, in Battle of Samar – What if TF34 [Task Force 34] was There?, via YouTube, archived from the original on 08 Aug 2022
Synonyms:

assailed, threatened

Adjective (2)

embattled (comparative more embattled, superlative most embattled)

Of a fortress or other building, a wall, etc.: having battlements or crenellations; battlemented, crenellated.
- The lofty towers of the Castle overhang the western approach to the Bridge, and the line passes into Conway through an opening pierced in the embattled wall, which entirely surrounds the town. These fortifications are in good preservation, and rank among the most perfect examples of the strongholds...1850, Edwin Clark, “The Masonry and Scaffolding”, in The Britannia and Conway Tubular Bridges. […], volume II, London: […] Day and Son, […]; and John Weale, […], →OCLC, section VI (Details of...
(broadly) Having an upper edge or outline of alternating square indentations and extensions like battlements, unless the embattled item is a pale, cross or saltire, in which case it has the crenelations on all sides.
- Argent, a Feſs embattled and tvvo Eſtoils in Chief, Sable, is born by the Name of Tvvyne, and vvas atteſted to belong (and vvas confirm'd) to Tvvyne of Preſton in the County of Lancaſter, Eſquire, […]1724, John Guillim, chapter II, in A Display of Heraldry. […], 6th edition, London: […] T. W. for R. and J. Bonwicke and R. Wilkin, […] [a]nd J. Walthoe and Tho[mas] Ward, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Honor...
Synonyms:

crénelé

Forms of enbattled

comparative	more enbattled
superlative	most enbattled

Questions about enbattled

What is enbattled the obsolete form of?: Enbattled is the obsolete form of embattled.

Words near enbattled in the dictionary

Adapted from Wiktionary: enbattled (page history and authors); embattled (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this entry: “enbattled.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/enbattled. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.