catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Castle \Cas"tle\, n. [AS. castel, fr. L. castellum, dim. of
     castrum a fortified place, castle.]
     1. A fortified residence, especially that of a prince or
        nobleman; a fortress.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The house of every one is to him castle and
              fortress, as well for his defense againts injury and
              violence, as for his repose.          --Coke.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Our castle's strength
              Will laugh a siege to scorn.          --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Originally the medi[ae]val castle was a single strong
           tower or keep, with a palisaded inclosure around it and
           inferior buidings, such as stables and the like, and
           surrounded by a moat; then such a keep or donjon, with
           courtyards or baileys and accessory buildings of
           greater elaboration a great hall and a chapel, all
           surrounded by defensive walls and a moat, with a
           drawbridge, etc. Afterwards the name was retained by
           large dwellings that had formerly been fortresses, or
           by those which replaced ancient fortresses. A Donjon or
           Keep, an irregular building containing the dwelling of
           the lord and his family; B C Large round towers ferming
           part of the donjon and of the exterior; D Square tower,
           separating the two inner courts and forming part of the
           donjon; E Chapel, whose apse forms a half-round tower,
           F, on the exterior walls; G H Round towers on the
           exterior walls; K Postern gate, reached from outside by
           a removable fight of steps or inclined plane for
           hoisting in stores, and leading to a court, L (see
           small digagram) whose pavement is on a level with the
           sill of the postern, but below the level of the larger
           court, with which it communicates by a separately
           fortified gateway; M Turret, containing spiral stairway
           to all the stories of the great tower, B, and serving
           also as a station for signal fire, banner, etc.; N
           Turret with stairway for tower, C; O Echauguettes; P P
           P Battlemants consisting of merlons and crenels
           alternately, the merlons being pierced by loopholes; Q
           Q Machicolations (those at Q defend the postern K); R
           Outwork defending the approach, which is a road
           ascending the hill and passing under all four faces of
           the castle; S S Wall of the outer bailey. The road of
           approach enters the bailey at T and passes thence into
           the castle by the main entrance gateway (which is in
           the wall between, and defended by the towers, C H) and
           over two drawbridges and through fortified passages to
           the inner court.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Any strong, imposing, and stately mansion.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A small tower, as on a ship, or an elephant's back.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. A piece, made to represent a castle, used in the game of
        chess; a rook.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Castle in the air, a visionary project; a baseless scheme;
        an air castle; -- sometimes called a castle in Spain (F.
        Ch[^a]teau en Espagne).
  
     Syn: Fortress; fortification; citadel; stronghold. See
          Fortress.
          [1913 Webster]

  
  
     2. Any strong, imposing, and stately mansion.
  
     3. A small tower, as on a ship, or an elephant's back.
  
     4. A piece, made to represent a castle, used in the game of
        chess; a rook.
  
     Castle in the air, a visionary project; a baseless scheme;
        an air castle; -- sometimes called a castle in Spain (F.
        Ch[^a]teau en Espagne).
  
     Syn: Fortress; fortification; citadel; stronghold. See
          Fortress.

  castle in the air
       n : absent-minded dreaming while awake [syn: reverie, revery,
            daydream, daydreaming, oneirism, air castle, castle
           in Spain]

  castle in the air
     n.
     (lb en idiomatic) A desire#Noun, idea, or plan#Noun that is unlikely
  to ever be realized; a visionary project#Noun or scheme#Noun; a
  daydream#Noun, an idle fancy#Noun, a near impossibility. (from mid 16th
  c.)

  castle in the air
     n.
     (lb en idiomatic) A desire#Noun, idea, or plan#Noun that is unlikely
  to ever be realized; a visionary project#Noun or scheme#Noun; a
  daydream#Noun, an idle fancy#Noun, a near impossibility. (from mid 16th
  c.)

  castle in the air
     n.
     (lb en idiomatic) A desire#Noun, idea, or plan#Noun that is unlikely
  to ever be realized; a visionary project#Noun or scheme#Noun; a
  daydream#Noun, an idle fancy#Noun, a near impossibility. (from mid 16th
  c.)

  castle in the air
     n.
     (lb en idiomatic) A desire#Noun, idea, or plan#Noun that is unlikely
  to ever be realized; a visionary project#Noun or scheme#Noun; a
  daydream#Noun, an idle fancy#Noun, a near impossibility. (from mid 16th
  c.)

  castle in the air
     Engelska n.
     luftslott

  castle in the air /kˈasəl ɪnðɪ ˈeə/
   [přen] vzdušný zámek

  castle in the air /kˈasəl ɪnðɪ ˈeə/
  Luftschloss , unrealistische / utopische Vorstellung 
     Synonyms: castle in Spain, pie in the sky, unrealizable dream
  
   see: castles in the air, castles in Spain, pieis in the sky, unrealizable dreams
  

  castle in the air //ˈkæs(ə)l ɪn ði ˈɛəɹ// //ˈkɑːs(ə)l ɪn ðiː ˈɛə// 
  pilvilinna, tuulentupa
  desire, idea, or plan unlikely to ever be realized

  castle in the air /kˈasəl ɪnðɪ ˈeə/
  légvár

  castle in the air //ˈkæs(ə)l ɪn ði ˈɛəɹ// //ˈkɑːs(ə)l ɪn ðiː ˈɛə// 
  luftslott
  desire, idea, or plan unlikely to ever be realized

  28 Moby Thesaurus words for "castle in the air":
     Xanadu, airy nothing, autism, bubble, castle in Spain, chimera,
     daydream, deception, deluded belief, delusion, dereism, dream,
     dream vision, dreamland, dreamworld, false belief, ignis fatuus,
     illusion, misbelief, misconception, pipe dream, self-deceit,
     self-deception, self-delusion, trick, trip, vapor,
     wrong impression