▪ I. ‖ barbette, n.
(bɑːˈbɛt)
[Fr., dim. of barbe beard: see -ette.]
A platform or mound of earth within a fortification, on which guns are raised so that they can be fired over the parapet. guns en barbette, barbette gun or barbette battery: those so mounted as to fire over the parapet; similarly in ironclad ships (see quot. 1876). Hence, attrib., as in barbette-cruiser, barbette-turret.
| 1772 T. Simes Mil. Guide, When the parapet of a work is only of such a height that the guns may fire over it without being obliged to make embrasures, it is said the guns fire en Barbet. 1822 Byron Juan vii. xii, Two batteries..Casemated one, and t'other ‘a barbette.’ 1872 C. King Sierra Nev. vii. 151 A huge slab pointed out like a barbette gun. 1876 Daily News 5 May 6/1 A ‘barbette’ battery..is a battery of guns exposed on the upper deck, but enclosed in a fixed turret, which only partially..protects the guns and the gunners. 1884 Pall Mall G. 2 Dec. 2/2 A twin-screw barbette cruiser. |
▪ II. † barbette, v. Obs. rare—1.
[a. OF. barbete-r, -etter (= mod.F. barboter). Cf. It. barbottare to stammer, mumble, balbottevole stammering, L. balbūtīre to stammer.]
To make inarticulate sounds, to mutter.
| c 1480 Caxton Ovid's Met. xiv. iii, Whan they wene to speke they barbette w{supt} gronyng voys. |