bastille: Meaning and Definition of

bas•tille

Pronunciation: (ba-stēl' Fr. bas-tē'y&supschwa), [key]
— pl. bas•tilles
  1. (cap.) a fortress in Paris, used as a prison, built in the 14th century and destroyed July 14, 1789.
  2. any prison or jail, esp. one conducted in a tyrannical way.
  3. a fortified tower, as of a castle; a small fortress; citadel.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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