castle

noun
UK: /ˈkɑːsəl/
US: /ˈkæsəl/

  1. A large, strong building, built in the past by a ruler or important person to protect the people inside from attack.

    1. The castle walls are very tall and thick. [ ] [ ]
    2. Visitors marveled at the imposing castle overlooking the valley. [ ] [ ]

  2. Used in chess as an alternative name for the rook, and as a verb referring to a move involving the king and rook.

    1. I moved my knight near the castle, preparing an attack. [ ] [ ]
    2. He decided to castle early in the game to protect his king. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

fortress stronghold palace citadel
castle verb

  1. To move the king two squares toward a rook on the same rank and then place the rook on the square the king crossed.

    1. He wanted to castle to make his king safer. [ ] [ ]
    2. The chess player skillfully castled to gain a tactical advantage. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "castle" in English means: A large, strong building, built in the past by a ruler or important person to protect the people inside from attack., Used in chess as an alternative name for the rook, and as a verb referring to a move involving the king and rook..

The phonetic transcription of "castle" is /ˈkɑːsəl/ in British English and /ˈkæsəl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "castle": fortress, stronghold, palace, citadel.

Example usage of "castle": "The castle walls are very tall and thick.". More examples on the page.