chamfron


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cham·fron

 (chăm′frən)
n.
A piece of armor used to protect the front of a horse's head in late medieval times.

[Middle English chaumfrein, shamfron, from Old French chanfrein : Latin cāmus, horse-muzzle, heavy necklace (from Greek kēmos) + Latin frēnum, bridle, bit; see frenum.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

chamfron

(ˈtʃæmfrən) or

chamfrain

;

chanfron

n
(Arms & Armour (excluding Firearms)) a piece of armour for a horse's head
[C14: from Old French chanfrein, from chafresner to harness, from chief head + frener to bridle]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.chamfron - medieval plate armor to protect a horse's headchamfron - medieval plate armor to protect a horse's head
armor plate, armor plating, armour plate, plate armor, plate armour - specially hardened steel plate used to protect fortifications or vehicles from enemy fire
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
References in classic literature ?
So silent and still were they, that they might have been metal-sheathed statues, were it not for the occasional quick, impatient stamp of their chargers, or the rattle of chamfron against neck-plates as they tossed and strained.
At once this knight seemed to throw aside his apathy, when he discovered the leader of his party so hard bestead; for, setting spurs to his horse, which was quite fresh, he came to his assistance like a thunderbolt, exclaiming, in a voice like a trumpet-call, ``Desdichado, to the rescue!'' It was high time; for, while the Disinherited Knight was pressing upon the Templar, Front-de-B uf had got nigh to him with his uplifted sword; but ere the blow could descend, the Sable Knight dealt a stroke on his head, which, glancing from the polished helmet, lighted with violence scarcely abated on the chamfron of the steed, and Front-de-B uf rolled on the ground, both horse and man equally stunned by the fury of the blow.
One of the star objects in the Vindolanda collection is an almost complete chamfron, or horse's ceremonial head mask.
The horse chamfron (bottom) which was excavated at Vindolanda and a re-creation (top) of how it would have looked
. ?STIRLING Single storey extension to rear of house at 14 Chamfron Gardens, Balquhidderock FK7 7XU for Mr Alex Mair; Two dwellings at land some 80 metres south of Westerlands House, Clifford Road for Mrs E Millar.
The feathered chamfron, horse-armour, and studded chariot-wheel reflect the Achaimenid heritage of the Seleucids (Fig.