Anelaces

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Bladed weapons typically worn at the waist or girdle during medieval times; short swords or daggers characterized by a broad blade used for stabbing or cutting; historical arms often associated with knights and soldiers for close combat
2. Defensive and offensive hand-held weapons with wide blades, usually short and suited for thrusting or slicing, commonly carried by warriors in the Middle Ages; small double-edged swords; martial tools mounted on a belt for easy access
3. Compact edged arms used in historical warfare, generally featuring a broad and sharp blade designed for piercing and slashing; short swords worn as part of a knight’s or soldier’s attire; instruments of close-quarter combat in earlier centuries

Etymology: Anelace is a word with a murky past, and what's firm is mostly its shape and its use. The word appears in Middle English, and the form "anelaces" is simply its plural, so readers meeting it here are looking at a plural noun whose singular is "anelace". The weapon it names was a short, broad-bladed knife or dagger, carried at the belt or girdle by medieval knights and soldiers. Its blade was built for close fighting, both thrusting and cutting, which made it a practical backup when a longer sword was too cumbersome in a press of men. Beyond that, the origin of the word itself is uncertain, and no firmly documented source settles where the name came from. What survives is the picture of a common, sturdy blade worn at the waist, the kind of weapon a fighter reached for once the fight came in close.

Synonyms: daggers, knives, dirks, blades, swords

Antonyms: shields, armor, protection, defense, safeguards