: the outer wall of a castle or any of several walls surrounding the keep
2
: a courtyard within the external wall or between two outer walls of a castle
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebPaths and gardens fill the bailey – the courtyard where soldiers may have trained. Lauren Beale, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2021 Dan McLaughlin wrote a brilliant piece recently about the Left’s motte-and-bailey tactics regarding the debate around CRT, and Quarshie’s definition is in the very bowels of the motte. Luther Ray Abel, National Review, 22 June 2021 Here, instead, were the motte-and-bailey dreams of Brexit, the blood and soil nationalism of soon-to-be President Trump and the majoritarian rage scorching through Indian democracy. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2020 But avoid mixers whenever possible — margarita mix, schnapps, baileys, curacao will generally add 10g of carbs per serving. Kimberly Mugler, Philly.com, 26 May 2018 Your feudal lord did not have a range of mottes, baileys, bartizans, drawbridges, dungeons, machicolations and turrets to choose from.A-LIST, 2 Oct. 2017
Word History
Etymology
Middle English bailli, palisade, bailey, from Anglo-French baille, balie