bulwark

From Middle English, from Middle Dutch bolwerk, bolwerc and Middle Low German bolwerk, equivalent to bole (“tree trunk”) +‎ work. Cognate with German Bollwerk, Danish bolværk, Dutch bolwerk. Doublet of boulevard (from French boulevard, from Dutch); cognate with Portuguese and Spanish baluarte and Italian baluardo.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbʊl.wək/
• (US) enPR: bo͝ol'wərk, bo͝ol'wôrk, IPA^(key): /ˈbʊl.wɝk/, /ˈbʊl.wɔɹk/

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bulwark (plural bulwarks)

1. A defensive wall or rampart.
2. A defense or safeguard.
   • Blackstone

     The royal navy of England hath ever been its greatest defence, […] the floating bulwark of our island.

3. A breakwater.
4. (nautical) The planking or plating along the sides of a nautical vessel above her gunwale that reduces the likelihood of seas washing over the gunwales and people being washed overboard.
5. (figuratively) Any means of defence or security.

bulwark (third-person singular simple present bulwarks, present participle bulwarking, simple past and past participle bulwarked)

1. (transitive) To fortify something with a wall or rampart.
2. (transitive) To provide protection of defense for something.