scarp

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

scarp, n. [OF. escharpe. See 2d Scarf.].

 A band in the same position as the bend sinister, but only half as broad as the latter.  [1913 Webster]

scarp, n. [Aphetic form of Escarp.].

•  The slope of the ditch nearest the parapet; the escarp.  [1913 Webster]
•  A steep descent or declivity.  [1913 Webster]

scarp, v. t. 

 To cut down perpendicularly, or nearly so; as, to scarp the face of a ditch or a rock.  [1913 Webster]
"From scarped cliff and quarried stone."  [1913 Webster]
"Sweep ruins from the scarped mountain."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

scarp, n. & v.
--n.
1 the inner wall or slope of a ditch in a fortification (cf. COUNTERSCARP).
2 a steep slope.
--v.tr.
1 make (a slope) perpendicular or steep.
2 provide (a ditch) with a steep scarp and counterscarp.
3 (as scarped adj.) (of a hillside etc.) steep; precipitous.

Etymology

It. scarpa

THESAURUS

scarp

abatis, advanced work, balistraria, bank, banquette, barbed-wire entanglement, barbican, barricade, barrier, bartizan, bastion, battlement, bevel, bezel, bluff, breastwork, bulwark, casemate, cheval-de-frise, chute, circumvallation, cliff, contravallation, counterscarp, crag, curtain, demibastion, dike, drawbridge, earthwork, easy slope, enclosure, entanglement, escarp, escarpment, face, fence, fieldwork, fleam, fortalice, fortification, gentle slope, glacis, grade, gradient, hanging gardens, helicline, hillside, inclination, incline, inclined plane, launching ramp, loophole, lunette, machicolation, mantelet, merlon, mound, outwork, palisade, palisades, parados, parapet, pitch, portcullis, postern gate, precipice, ramp, rampart, ravelin, redan, redoubt, sally port, scar, sconce, shelving beach, side, slope, steep, steep slope, stiff climb, stockade, talus, tenaille, vallation, vallum, wall, work

ROGET THESAURUS

scarp

Defense

N defense, protection, guard, ward, shielding, propugnation, preservation, guardianship, area defense, site defense, self-defense, self-preservation, resistance, safeguard, balistraria, bunker, screen, camouflage, fortification, munition, muniment, trench, foxhole, bulwark, fosse, moat, ditch, entrenchment, intrenchment, kila, dike, dyke, parapet, sunk fence, embankment, mound, mole, bank, sandbag, revetment, earth work, field- work, fence, wall dead wall, contravallation, paling, palisade, haha, stockade, stoccado, laager, sangar, barrier, barricade, boom, portcullis, chevaux de frise, abatis, abattis, abbatis, vallum, circumvallation, battlement, rampart, scarp, escarp, counter-scarp, glacis, casemate, vallation, vanfos, buttress, abutment, shore, breastwork, banquette, curtain, mantlet, bastion, redan, ravelin, vauntmure, advance work, horn work, outwork, barbacan, barbican, redoubt, fort-elage, fort-alice, lines, loophole, machicolation, sally port, hold, stronghold, fastness, asylum, keep, donjon, dungeon, fortress, citadel, capitol, castle, tower of strength, tower of strength, fort, barracoon, pah, sconce, martello tower, peelhouse, blockhouse, rath, wooden walls, bulletproof vest, armored vest, buffer, corner stone, fender, apron, mask, gauntlet, thimble, carapace, armor, shield, buckler, aegis, breastplate, backplate, cowcatcher, face guard, scutum, cuirass, habergeon, mail, coat of mail, brigandine, hauberk, lorication, helmet, helm, bassinet, salade, heaume, morion, murrion, armet, cabaset, vizor, casquetel, siege cap, headpiece, casque, pickelhaube, vambrace, shako, bearskin, panoply, truncheon, garrison, picket, piquet, defender, protector, guardian, bodyguard, champion, knight-errant, Paladin, propugner, bulletproof window, hardened site, defending, defensive, mural, armed, armed at all points, armed cap-a-pie, armed to the teeth, panoplied, iron-plated, ironclad, loopholed, castellated, machicolated, casemated, defended, proof against, armored, ballproof, bulletproof, hardened, defensively, on the defense, on the defensive, in defense, at bay, pro aris et focis, Int, no surrender!, defense not defiance, Dieu defend le droit, fidei defensor, defender of the faith.